Travellers to Spain will no longer have to wear face coverings on public transport, with the law change making their use compulsory ending after almost three years in operation.

It was May 4, 2020 that the Spanish government introduced legislation that the coverings must be worn on planes, trains, buses, taxis and boats in a bid to halt the spread of Covid. The country invoked one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe, and it was April last year that face covering legislation in indoor spaces – workplaces, schools, sports arenas and concert halls – was lifted.

Late last year, Spanish airlines criticised the face mask requirement, calling it “pointless” and saying it hurt the country’s tourism industry. The Spanish Association of Airlines said in a statement: “What is absolutely ridiculous is that on a 12-hour flight travelling to Spain you only need to wear a mask for the last hour because you are overflying the Spanish territory . . .”

While the changes have ended the legal requirements to wear coverings on public transport, they must still be worn in hospitals, health centres, pharmacies and care homes in Spain. Figures recently released showed that Spain has logged around 13,750,000 Covid cases and recorded 118,712 deaths from the virus.