When two brothers from New Jersey were kicked out of a United Airlines flight last month, it wasn’t because they didn’t want to wear masks.
In fact, Rob and William Joseph, from Mahwah, New Jersey, wanted extra coverage on their January 23 flight from Newark International Airport to Florida.
That’s why they bought Narwall Masks, hermetic face shields with inhalation and inhalation filtration systems inspired by diving masks.
However, when they tried to board the plane with the Narwall Masks, the brothers were asked to take them off – because they did not comply with airline policy – and wear surgical masks, according to a NorthJersey report. with.
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When they refused, they were expelled from the flight.
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“It doesn’t meet the imaging criteria for the paper and fabric mask that everyone has seen a million times,” Rob told NorthJersey.com, adding: “If I’m trying to exceed this for my own safety and comfort, protect my newborn at home and my family who is at risk – it’s my right. “
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United Airlines spokesman Charles Hobart told Fox News that Narwall Masks do not align with the company’s current mask policy.
United Airlines does not allow Narwall Masks on board for security reasons in an emergency, a spokesman told Fox News. (iStock)
“We had some concerns that a mask like that could create certain impediments in a variety of potential emergency scenarios that could actually occur on board an aircraft,” said Hobart.
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He explained that, in particular, the part of the mask that covers the entire mouth and nose of the user makes it difficult for the user to speak clearly – which can make communication more challenging during a potential emergency during a flight.
“It just didn’t make sense to allow masks like this on board when there were perfectly acceptable alternatives,” said Hobart of other masks, like surgical masks, which he said were offered to Rob and William on their flight to Florida.
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Ultimately, the brothers ended up wearing more traditional masks, according to NorthJersey.com.
Although they missed their first flight, seven hours later, Rob and William took United’s next flight to Florida, wearing surgical clothing and masks for extra protection.
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The brothers were not banned from United, Hobart told Fox News. However, Rob told NorthJersey.com that he rescheduled his flight home with a different airline, after checking whether Narwall Masks would be allowed on the flight.
Fox News contacted Rob for comment. William could not be reached for comment.