American Airlines reaches out to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for not wearing a COVID face mask
American Airlines says it has reached out to Sen. Ted Cruz about a social media photo that went viral Monday of Texas’ junior senator flying on an aircraft while not wearing a face mask.
The Fort Worth-based airline has said in recent weeks that it could suspend the flying privileges of customers who refuse to comply with a requirement that passengers wear masks in airports and aboard aircraft to reduce the spread of the COVID virus. However, there was no indication Monday afternoon that the company intended to take further action against Cruz, beyond reaching out to him.
“For the well-being of our customers and team members, we require face coverings to be worn onboard, and we expect our customers to comply with our policies when they choose to travel with us,” American officials said in a statement delivered by email from company spokesman Ross Feinstein. “As we do in all instances like these, we reviewed the details of the matter, and while our policy does not apply while eating or drinking, we have reached out to Sen. Cruz to affirm the importance of this policy as part of our commitment to protecting the health and safety of the traveling public.”
On Sunday, a Twitter user named Hosseh (@hossehenad) posted a photo of Cruz sitting in an aircraft seat with a mobile phone in one hand and a cup of coffee in another, but no face covering.
“Captured today at 10:45 a.m. — @TedCruz on a commercial flight, refusing to wear a mask,” the tweet read.
A spokesperson for Cruz could not be immediately reached to comment. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s television partner, WFAA, reported that a Cruz spokesman told them the senator had simply removed his mask to take a drink, which is allowed under airline coronavirus rules.
But WFAA reported that another social media photo taken earlier Sunday also showed Cruz sitting at a departure gate without a mask.
Airlines have struggled to enforce mask requirements, which are opposed by some passengers who doubt the health benefits and don’t like to be told what to wear.
In May, American and other airlines said they would not enforce the mask requirement or confront passengers who refused to comply. But a few weeks later, American did an about-face, and announced that mask requirements would be enforced by employees, and that travelers who refused to comply could have their ability to book flights on the airline suspended.
The photo was posted on Twitter by Hosseh Enad, who is employed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, according to a report from McClatchy.
