Extra equipment for protection against the coronavirus has become a competitive tool in the airline industry. SAS, Finnair, British Airways and Lufthansa require travelers to pay for their own protection, while another company offers "hygiene kits". 

On the recommendation of the EU, most airports and airlines now require travelers to wear an approved face mask before, during, and after a flight. Most have also passed on the cost of the masks to the traveler themselves, and anyone who shows up without a mask risks being refused boarding. 

For example, SAS, Finnair, British Airways and Lufthansa require passengers to bring their own equipment. Norwegian does not require a face mask because it currently only flies domestically in Norway and the Norwegian authorities do not have such a requirement. 

However, the middle seats are left empty on Norwegian flights.

Aviation giant Emirates is taking a different route and is offering free protective equipment in the form of a "hygiene kit", consisting of a mask, gloves, wet wipes and hand sanitizer.

”"The risk of contracting an infection on an aircraft is already very low. Despite this, we review every step, from check-in to disembarkation. Every measure implemented is a further minimization of risks, and together our goal is to make flying as safe as possible," comments Emirates Chief Operating Officer Adel Al Redha, in a press release.

SAS, however, has not considered starting to offer its passengers face masks.

”"In accordance with EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) guidelines, SAS has introduced a requirement for face masks as an additional safety measure. We see that many airports and countries have similar requirements and recommend that passengers bring extra face masks. Similar to other airlines, such as Lufthansa and Finnair, it is up to passengers to bring face masks for the flight, but also to meet any face mask requirements at the destination.".

Source: di.se