Travellers must wear face masks on all forms of public transport until at least September 13 after the Transportation Security Administration extended a ruling on compulsory face maks during Covid-19 travel. Courtesy Etihad
Travellers must wear face masks on all forms of public transport until at least September 13 after the Transportation Security Administration extended a ruling on compulsory face maks during Covid-19 travel. Courtesy Etihad
Travellers must wear face masks on all forms of public transport until at least September 13 after the Transportation Security Administration extended a ruling on compulsory face maks during Covid-19 travel. Courtesy Etihad
Travellers must wear face masks on all forms of public transport until at least September 13 after the Transportation Security Administration extended a ruling on compulsory face maks during Covid-19

Travellers in the US must wear face masks on planes, trains and other public transport until September


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has extended a mandate that makes wearing face masks on public transport across the United States compulsory.

Travellers transiting at airports, on board commercial aircraft, buses, and rail systems must continue to wear face masks until at least September owing to the new ruling. The original mandate had been set to expire on May 11.

Supported by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the extension of the face mask policy is in line with recently announced CDC rules that state vaccinated travellers can travel safely within the US, but that individuals must continue to wear a face mask, socially distance and use hand sanitisers.

Exemptions to the face mask requirements remain for travellers under the age of two, and for those with certain disabilities.

A TSA worker directs travelers to a security checkpoint at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac, Washington. Reuters
A TSA worker directs travelers to a security checkpoint at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac, Washington. Reuters

“The federal mask requirement throughout the transportation system seeks to minimise the spread of Covid-19 on public transportation,” said Darby LaJoye, the senior official performing the duties of the TSA Administrator.

“Right now, about half of all adults [in the US] have at least one vaccination shot and masks remain an important tool in defeating this pandemic. We will continue to work closely with the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to evaluate the need for these directives and recognise the significant level of compliance thus far.”

Any travellers who do not comply with the face mask mandate could face penalties with fines from $250 for a first offence, rising to $1,500 for repeat offenders.

The TSA has said that all travellers, including people considering international travel, should ensure they remain up to date with any changes to Covid-19 requirements by checking official websites of both the TSA and CDC prior to taking a trip.

Travellers who transit via airports will notice safety measures in place at all TSA checkpoints. These include security screening officers wearing face masks and gloves and acrylic barriers at most airports to cut down on interaction between travellers and staff.

Screening officers may ask travellers to temporarily lower their face mask to help verify their identity, but travellers must wear a face mask when approaching the travel document checker station. Any passengers without face masks will be not be permitted to enter the secure area of the airport, which includes the terminal and gate area.

Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier

UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs

Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)

1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0

Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am

Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWest%20Asia%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Bahrain%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%201%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%202%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%20III%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDubai%20Sevens%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

While you're here
Places to go for free coffee
  • Cherish Cafe Dubai, Dubai Investment Park, are giving away free coffees all day. 
  • La Terrace, Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai, are serving their first 50 guests one coffee and four bite-sized cakes
  • Wild & The Moon will be giving away a free espresso with every purchase on International Coffee Day
  • Orange Wheels welcome parents are to sit, relax and enjoy goodies at ‘Café O’ along with a free coffee
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

If you go...

Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.

Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50

Tips for used car buyers
  • Choose cars with GCC specifications
  • Get a service history for cars less than five years old
  • Don’t go cheap on the inspection
  • Check for oil leaks
  • Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
  • Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
  • Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
  • Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
  • If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell

Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

How Beautiful this world is!