Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, US airlines have announced that passengers refusing to wear face masks will not be allowed to board planes. The rules have been announced by American, Delta, Southwest and United Airlines.
The Washington Post reported that only children younger than two years of age would be permitted to fly without masks under the new rules.
Though Delta will allow passengers to travel without face masks, they will have to undergo a special screening which would take more than an hour to complete.
While the US airlines have been given a free hand in deciding their policies with regard to masks, in recent weeks they have mandated masks for their passengers.
Citing an interview with NBC in "Today", The Washington Post quoted Delta chief executive Ed Bastian as saying that the airline had banned at least 100 people from flying after they refused to wear a mask.
Meanwhile, the airlines have also stated that they will be providing free masks to passengers who don't have them.
The Sputnik reported Johns Hopkins University as confirming that more than 145,000 Americans have died due to COVID-19 so far.
The United States has reported as many as 4,106,247 coronavirus cases till now.