Bellingham International Airport now requiring face masks during coronavirus pandemic
Bellingham International Airport is now requiring all passengers, employees and visitors in the commercial passenger terminal to wear face coverings to reduce the spread of coronavirus, according to a Facebook post Tuesday, May 12.
The airport said the move was made following a recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before Tuesday’s statement, the Port of Bellingham was only recommending that face coverings be worn, spokesperson Mike Hogan told The Bellingham Herald in an email Monday.
Tuesday’s social media announcement said that face coverings are not required for anyone younger than 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing or cannot remove face coverings on their own.
“The Port of Bellingham is committed to the safety and well-being of our staff, passengers and community,” the Bellingham International post read.
The Port of Seattle announced Saturday that it also is requiring face coverings in public areas of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport beginning May 18.
The two major airlines usually serving Bellingham International — Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air and Allegiant, which suspended Bellingham operations in March until at least June 3 due to the closure of the U.S. Canada border to non-essential travel — are both providing face coverings to travelers who don’t have them, according to their websites.
As of Monday, all Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air passengers are required to wear face masks, according to a May 1 release by the airline. Travelers are expected to bring their own masks and are required to wear them throughout the flight and in the airport, Alaska said, adding that masks will be available for anyone who forgets their mask.
While Allegiant is not requiring passengers to wear face masks, they are strongly encouraged to do so, according to a May 3 Newsweek story. Allegiant also said on its website that upon boarding, customers will be provided with a complimentary health and safety kit that includes a single-use facemask, disposable non-latex gloves and two sanitizing wipes.
The CDC is recommending cloth face coverings be worn in all public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, such as in grocery stores or pharmacies or other areas of significant social interaction.
This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
