HUNTSVILLE – If you want to travel through or visit the Huntsville International Airport, do not forget your face mask. The airport will implement a new face covering policy for all individuals entering the airport terminal building effective Monday, May 18.

The new policy will be in effect until further notice, says airport officials.  “The policy urges all individuals entering the facility to wear a face covering and applies to anyone inside the terminal building whether traveling or not,” said Public Relations Manager Jana Kuner. “In addition, HSV is also requiring all airport employees, tenant employees and contractor employees to wear face coverings in public areas of the airport terminal building. ”

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees are already required to wear face coverings and the airlines serving HSV also require face coverings to be worn starting at the check-in lobby, at the boarding gate areas, on jet bridges and on board the aircraft for the duration of the flight.

Passengers are permitted to remove coverings in order to eat or drink.  The HSV policy will not require passengers to wear face coverings if it is unsafe for them to do so in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”).

According to the CDC, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) is spread mainly through close contact from person-to-person respiratory droplets from someone who is infected. Additionally, COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms. The CDC recommends that everyone wear a face covering in public settings to avoid the spreading of COVID-19 to others in case you are infected but do not have symptoms.

“One of Huntsville International Airport’s top priorities throughout this pandemic has been to keep passengers, tenants and employees safe while at our facility”, said Rick Tucker, Huntsville International Airport CEO. “We are adhering to the recommendations of the CDC in regards to face coverings because safety is a priority and because we want all passengers to feel comfortable traveling through HSV.”