NJ residents launched their flight and left the gym for wearing the wrong masks in 2 separate incidents

With a radical new mask mandate requiring a face mask on all transit, airplanes and in federal buildings, clashes over masking are inevitable.

Only in New Jersey two separate incidents saw customers penalized not for refusing to wear masks, but for the opposite.

Brothers Rob and William Joseph were kicked off a United flight for wearing a Narwall face respirator, according to NorthJersey.com.

And a gym-goer was turned down at his local Planet Fitness in Union for wearing a surgical mask instead of a cloth mask, according to ABC7 New York.

Incidents of shoppers fighting with store managers over mask policies have gone viral recently (even Bruce Willis took that fight). Yet few have made the headlines for wearing too much protection.

The Joseph brothers were planning to board an 11 a.m. flight to Florida on January 23 when United employees arrested them. They tried to explain that the $ 85 Narwall masks include a high-efficiency filter and are specially designed for high-risk situations, but were kicked off the flight instead.

“Is it crazy?” Absolutely. Is this something you want to see in public? Not exactly, ”Mahwah native Rob Joseph said of the snorkeling helmet-inspired masks, according to NorthJersey.com. “But to have that peace of mind for myself and my family, I’m willing to take a few glances to get down there safely.”

A United spokesperson told NJ Advance Media that the Narwall masks violate its mask policy.

“We do not accept this particular mask because it could potentially create certain obstacles in emergency scenarios, such as preventing clear communication between customers and crew members,” the spokesperson said.

At Union, no fancy headgear was involved. The argument between the gyms was simply over fabric masks versus surgical masks, both of which are ubiquitous statewide.

Jordan Binenstock told ABC7 he was turned away because he was wearing a surgical mask, the same type he saw Governor Phil Murphy wearing during his press briefings.

“It’s so stupid, if you don’t mind saying that,” Binenstock said, according to ABC7. “It just doesn’t make sense. All the time, it just doesn’t make sense.

Unlike United, which maintains its position, Planet Fitness attempted a mea culpa.

“The safety and well-being of our staff and members remains our number one priority,” read a statement from Planet Fitness sent to NJ Advance Media. “We can confirm that members and guests are permitted to wear disposable surgical masks in our New Jersey clubs in accordance with local and state guidelines.”

The club followed state guidelines that specified cloth masks, which have since been updated to include the use of surgical masks, the statement said.

Murphy’s August decree reopening gymnasiums “requires workers and customers to wear cloth masks when inside the premises.”

However, below, the same order also includes a stipulation that “nothing in the stated policy should prevent workers or customers from wearing a surgical grade mask or other more protective face mask if the individual is already in possession. such equipment. “

Regardless, the club will allow surgical masks in the future.

“The management of the local club will contact Mr. Binenstock to apologize for the misunderstanding and we hope to welcome him back to Planet Fitness as a member,” the company said.

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Josh Axelrod can be reached at [email protected]. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip Here.