@Frequentflyer89 wrote:
False. They literally told us today it was implemented two weeks ago because people “didn’t feel safe” with children not wearing masks. Giving me a break!! And no, no one told us until we boarded the plane. My son literally never had a mask for the 3 hours we waited to board our plane not during check in not during anytime except when we sat down in our seat on the plane.
Masks for everyone age 2 and up has been policy since basically the beginning of the pandemic. As noted earlier, it just became law recently, under the new administration. It's stated very clearly all over the Southwest website, and repeated when you book your flight, in the email confirmation you receive, and when you check-in online.
Enforcement prior to boarding is the responsibility of the airport, but pre-boarding PA announcements by Southwest staff repeat the requirement. My guess is it's possible that it was assumed your child was under age 2, until boarded and the FA realized he had a seat (as required for children over age 2), so then enforced the mask requirement, per federal law.
You can think whatever you'd like about the policy's need, but that doesn't change it's requirement.
Ultimately, if you were unaware of the policy, it's because you weren't paying attention.
