WestJet to Remove and Ban Passengers Who Won’t Wear a Face Mask

WestJet gate at LaGuardia Airport

WestJet said it would institute new measures against passengers who refuse to wear a face mask on board its flights.

The airline will boot any passenger who refuses to wear a mask and chronic non-compliant passengers will be banned from flying the airline during the coronavirus pandemic.

Transport Canada mandates that everyone over the age of two wear a mask on board all flights. Only those with an official doctor’s note are exempt from doing so.

The airline’s CEO, Ed Sims, told CBC News that, if a plane has not yet taken off and a passenger refuses to wear a mask, it would return to the gate. He also said that in “extreme” situations, a plane might return to its point of departure if passengers continued to ignore the mask rule.

“I have an obligation and a duty of care to our staff,” Sims said. “I also have an obligation to every other guest. So my focus is on the 99% of guests who continue to wear masks.”

(Photo: Accura Media Group)