Lufthansa group makes it mandatory to wear masks on flights from May 4

Lufthansa group on Wednesday stated passengers on board any of its airlines' flights will have to mandatorily wear a mask that covers mouth as well as nose from May 4 onwards.

The German group runs four airline brands - Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines, Austrian and SWISS.

"The company recommends that passengers wear them throughout the entire journey, i.e. also before or after the flight at the airport, whenever the required minimum distance cannot be guaranteed without restriction," Lufthansa group stated in its press release.

Despite numerous adjustments to service procedures, it is not always possible to maintain the required distance on a flight, the release noted.

"Therefore, this measure serves as additional protection for all passengers. All flight attendants on Lufthansa group flights in direct contact with customers will also wear a corresponding mask," the group stated.

India has been under a lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 1,000 people in the country till date.

All commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period.

However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights, and special flights permitted by the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are allowed to operate.

All passengers are requested to bring their own mouth and nose cover, Lufthansa group said, adding that while a reusable fabric mask is recommended, all other types of coverings such as simple disposable masks or scarves will work too.

"The airlines will inform their passengers in advance by an SMS or email and on their websites about the new regulation," the group stated.

The obligation to wear the mask will be from May 4 to August 30, it stated.