No Aircraft
Flight Attendant Current
No Specific Anomaly Occurred All Types
Environment - Non Weather Related; Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
Exceptions for face coverings is active eating and drinking and clarified as safety related duties including making a PA per policy. However; I have sought clarification from in-flight and have failed to address critical phases of flight concerns and emergency procedures. Wearing a face covering reduces the ability to perform safety functions critical to the safety of everyone on board. Why are we sitting away from jumpseats while customers are able to sit in all usable seats. We need to sit in our assigned jumpseats and not use alternate seating especially on full flights. Safest place is a jumpseat. Takeoff and landing; we need to stay in brace position and a face covering can hinder evacuation commands; communications with flight deck and instant situational awareness that is distracting due to face coverings. Pilots are able to remove face coverings for safety of flight issues on the flight deck and why are flight attendants not being allowed to be subject to the same safety and security standards? We need exceptions that are not political; safety of flight is our top concern.
Flight Attendant reported that having to wear a face mask could affect the FA's ability to perform certain safety functions; especially in the case of an emergency situation.