Thread by @enn_nafnlaus

Watching my @Lufthansa flight leave. Denied boarding because I *asked* about my *#Lufthansa mask-policy-compliant* valveless GVS 644, before - changing into a non-elastomeric at their request. But the angry-before-I-even-opened-my-mouth gate agent convinced the pilot to ban me.

There was a woman who saw what was happening who nearly refused to fly if I wasn't let on. They walled her off from me and marched her down the boarding ramp.

Full story: I arrive with a variety of masking options, in order from most preferred to least: 1) 3M 6800 full face respirator (valve sealed off with a taped surgical, extra surgical over top for security theatre; 2) Unvalved GVS Elipse elastomeric; 3) 3M 6200 with the...

exhalation filter; 4) 3M Aura FFP3 (non-elastomeric); 5) Generic Amazon N95s; 6) Surgical masks (reliable way to catch Omicron).

I walk up to the gate officer, wanting to clear things in advance. He's at a counter behind a rope, so I duck under the rope to walk up.

"DON'T...

CROSS THE ROPE!"

"Oh, sorry, I was just wanting to talk with y.."

"YOU CANNOT BOARD YET!"

".. No, I'm not trying to board, I just wanted to talk with you about the mask."

"YOU CANNOT WEAR THAT MASK. ONLY a medical mask."

"I have two medical masks on..."

"THAT MASK IS...

PROHIBITED, understand? Only surgical and unvalved N95, N99 and similar"

"Okay, well, I have this other mask.." (I break out the Elipse) "You can see here on its datasheet ("unvalved" circled in red) that it meets your requirements."

"NO UNVALVED MASKS."

"But it doesn't...

have a valve, see here."

(Beat) "FINE, I'll discuss it with the crew." (walks off in a huff into the plane)

At this point I'm really regretting have gone up to talk with him.

I sit down and wait. 10 minutes later he comes up to me, looking angry as always. "LISTEN CLOSELY....

You must check those masks or leave them in Reykjavík. You are only allowed to to wear a medical mask, NOT a mask with a valve."

"But it says here," for healthcare workers" and "no valve"...

"LET ME FINISH. NO VALVES."

"But it doesn't have one, look."

"NO VALVES."

He...

storms off. While he's gone, I try to talk to the (quiet) other gate agent, but when I get up to do so, the first guy shots back, "YOU ARE ABANDONING YOUR BAGS."

"I can see them..."

"IT IS PROHIBITED TO ABANDON YOUR BAGS"

The other guy just looks on. I give up.

I stay...

well masked until boarding, then change into the Aura. I get up to the gate.

"THE PILOT HAS DECIDED TO DENY YOU ACCESS TO THE PLANE."

"But I'm I'm in the mask you wanted!"

"THE PILOT HAS DECIDED. THIS IS FINAL. GOODBYE."

I'm at the gate, in tears. The other gate agent...

stays silent, not wanting to get involved. There's one woman yet to board, who watched what happed,and is clearly disturbed. She tries to talk to them and keeps gesturing at me, but the angry gate agent keeps shutting her down. She starts to walk down the ramp, looks back...

through the glass at me in tears, and walks back up the ramp and starts angrily arguing with the gate agents while gesturing at me. The angry agent is having none of it, and marches her down the ramp and onto the plane.

So how was your day? 😞

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