Southwest Tightens Face-Mask Rules; Delta Steps Up Testing

Delta Air Lines will provide at-home coronavirus tests for some employees, and Southwest Airlines will tighten its rule on face masks by ending exceptions for medical reasons.

“We’re simply seeing too many exceptions to the (mask) policy, it has put our flight crews in a really tough spot and also made our customers pretty uncomfortable,” Southwest President Tom Nealon said Thursday.

Those moves come as airlines try to reassure passengers and their own employees about safety during a pandemic that has made many people afraid to fly.