Respirator shop has been advising and providing respiratory protection & PPE for hospitals and businesses alike for over 18 years including all recent pandemics.
We therefore speak from a position of authority when we say that there is currently online a great deal of both misinformation and disinformation regarding masks & the protection levels they actually provide.
There are many online advertorials & online magazine articles promoting what are purely basically face coverings as incorrectly offering protection for flying.
When it comes to masks & protection, any claims must be backed up with clinical test information to the UK standard backed up with UK independent testing.
If it doesn’t totally avoid. Only use a company with proven experience with the respiratory market place.
This article has therefore been written to ensure that if you require protection when flying you will have the correct certified FFP3 masks to protect you, backed up by the fact they are used by the NHS for protection against Covid 19. The highest accolade.
There have been a number of changes since July 19th & whilst certain restrictions have been lifted all airlines require masks to be worn on the plane as well as many airports also requiring face masks to be worn whilst in the terminal.
The recommendations made by the airlines regarding face coverings is to try and reduce transmission of Covid by covering faces as opposed to outlining face masks for individual flyer protection.
The minimal level that airlines request is that all masks are non-valved masks for example surgical masks & it is important to note that there are a number of countries & airlines that will not allow simple advertised cloth masks as they are deemed to offer little protection to others so check before you go or simply just use the surgical mask to be safe.
The airlines do have special filter systems on the aircraft, however even with passengers wearing surgical masks (Loose fitting masks) to reduce transmission there will be a level of unfiltered air in the plane prior to entering the filtration system.
Whilst surgical masks are not designed to protect if you require protection, what is termed a tight-fitting mask is required the best of which would be a non-valved FFP3 mask such as the HY 9330 or the 3M 9330 both used by the NHS.
It is important that only masks that have passed safety standards and physically marked EN 149:2001+A1:2009 FFP2 or for better protection the EN 149:2001+A1:2009 FFP3 standard, both must have the CE marking and details of the notified testing body.
If the mask does not have this safety standard the mask is not will not protect and will only act as a face covering i.e non protective.
The best protective masks that we recommend to provide protection when flying are the non-valved FFP3 masks, each one is individually packaged and offering the highest level of FFP3 protection.
Recommended Protective Face Masks For Flight Safety:
(Individually Packaged Fold Flat FFP3 Masks Non Valved) : Hy9330 FFP3 mask
(Individually Packaged Fold Flat FFP3 Masks Non Valved): 3m 9330 FFP3 mask
As you would expect from a company with many years’ experience within the respiratory protective market the masks are fully EN 149:2001+A1:2009 FFP3 certified as well as used within the UK hospital sector.
Whilst all the airlines have similar mask policies, we have provided links below for further information on some of the airlines.
