United threatens to ban fliers who refuse to wear face masks at the airport

United Airlines announced Tuesday that it will require passengers to wear face masks at the airport.

Those who refuse could be temporarily banned from traveling with the airline.

The policy goes into effect July 24 and mandates that United passengers don face masks at kiosks, customer service counters, gates, baggage claim areas and United club locations at the more than 360 airports across the globe where United operates, the company said in a news release.

Anyone who refuses to wear a mask could be “refused travel and banned from flying United at least while the mask requirement is in place,” according to the airline.

United said it is also strengthening its mask exemption policy, only allowing children under the age of 2 to be exempt from donning a face covering.

United passengers who believe they have an “extraordinary circumstance” that precludes them from wearing a mask are directed to contact the airline to speak to a representative.

To remind United travelers of the new policy, the airline said it will place signage throughout the airport and offer a verbal reminder and free mask to anyone who is not wearing a face covering.

United workers will give a card that details the airline’s mask policy to passengers who continue to refuse. Those who still refuse to comply could then be prevented from traveling.

“A mask is about protecting the safety of others, and I’m proud of the aggressive and proactive steps United Airlines has taken to ensure people are wearing a face covering in the airports where we operate and onboard the aircraft we fly,” CEO Scott Kirby said in the release.

United said the policy was developed with the guidance of public health officials, experts at the Cleveland Clinic and the airline’s in-house medical team.

In June, United was one of a handful of U.S. airlines to announce “vigorous” enforcement of mask policies for both passengers and workers.

The airline was among the first to say it would list passengers who refused to wear masks on flights on an “internal travel restriction list,” temporarily banning them from future travel on the airline.

This story was originally published July 22, 2020 at 8:52 AM with the headline "United threatens to ban fliers who refuse to wear face masks at the airport."