In this week's travel update, we discuss the renewed mask mandate for public transportation and air travel inside the U.S. Also, Germany joins the ranks of countries requiring vaccination for American travelers.

TSA Mask Mandate Extended To January 2022

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that the mask mandate for public transportation is extended to January 18, 2022. The mandate was set to expire on September 13, 2021, but the continuing spread of the Delta variant caused them to push it back.

Tuesday, the Association of Flight Attendants, which represents approximately 50,000 flight attendants, released a statement. In it, President Sara Nelson stated, "We all look forward to the day masks are no longer required but we’re not there yet" and commented on the extension by saying that it will "help tremendously to keep passengers and aviation workers safe."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released updated information on unruly passengers. As of August 16, 2021, they have received 3,889 reports of unruly passengers. Of those, 2,867 revolved around mask-wearing, 682 were investigated, and 120 have been prosecuted.

On June 22nd, the FAA released a statement detailing $124,000 in fines they issued to indocile passengers. At the time, they had received 3,100 reports. That means that the FAA has received nearly 800 more reports in the last eight weeks, averaging about 118 reports per week since January 1st.

📌 Pro-tip: Download the Skip app and let us assist you with your TSA PreCheck enrollment.

Germany Is The Latest To Require Vaccination For Travelers

Up until recently, Americans could travel to Germany for business or pleasure. That is no longer the case. Several countries were added to the Robert Koch Institute's list of "new high-risk areas." Included in the list are the United States of America, France, Israel, and others.

Germany changed its guidelines as a result of the Institute's list, affecting German nationals and anyone interested in traveling to Germany. German nationals entering Germany from a "high incident area," like the United States, must quarantine in their home for 10 days, or 14 days if they were in an area with a variant of concern (such as Delta). If they provide a negative test after the fifth day, then they are allowed out of quarantine.

Residents from non-EU member countries are only allowed to enter Germany "if they serve in an important role or if they have an urgent need to travel or if they are fully vaccinated." They do not define what an "important role" is, but they do define urgent travel. They have a full list of instances that constitutes urgent travel, but it includes healthcare workers, freight transportation, diplomatic travel, and more.

For those that are fully vaccinated, the last dose must be administered 14 days before your travel. The vaccine must be one of the brands approved by Germany, which includes Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna, and AstraZeneca. Those that can provide proof of vaccination can travel to Germany from the U.S. with no issue. Children 12 and under do not need to be vaccinated as long as they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult.

Several other countries are requiring proof of vaccination before entry into the country. These countries include Canada, France (not required but without proof of vaccination you won't be able to do very much), Malta, and others.

📌 Pro-tip: Check every country's vaccination and testing requirements before your trip.