Delta Air Lines passengers refusing to wear a mask must now verify they have a medical reason for it.
Customers who show up not wearing a face covering will be required to undergo a ‘virtual consultation’ with a health professional.
This entails a private phone call with ‘medical professional consultants, including doctors’ from STAT-MD, which is part of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Following the call, a determination will be made on whether the passenger can travel.
It will ‘ensure everyone’s safety because nothing is more important’ delta said.
The airline hopes to plug a loophole where passengers have used a medical issue as a reason not to mask up.
It is a crackdown of sorts, but still doesn’t prevent passengers from taking off a mask when in the cabin.
There has been at least one incident of a passenger getting booted from a flight after refusing to wear a mask, even though he had originally worn one when boarding.
by Ray Montgomery, US editor
