A smattering of transportation systems across the United States will maintain masking requirements for customers despite a Florida judge’s move on Monday to void the federal mandate for masks on public transit.
Hours after Tampa District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle struck down the Biden administration’s mandate, which had recently been renewed through May 3, major airlines announced they would no longer require face coverings on flights. Amtrak, Uber, and Lyft followed suit while maintaining that people are still encouraged to wear masks. News that the mandate had been struck down made it to passengers midair, and some celebrated the opportunity to unmask on their flights. Still, not all airports made the mask policy change, choosing instead to keep the mandate for customers and staff in place.
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Here are the airports that will maintain mask mandates for now:
— John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York
— LaGuardia Airport in New York
— O’Hare International Airport in Chicago
— Buffalo Niagara International Airport
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Several local public transit systems in Democratic-led states will also maintain mask mandates:
— The Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and the Chicago Department of Aviation said they will continue to require masks.
— The King County Metro in Seattle will still require riders to wear masks.
— New York City’s Metropolitan Transit Authority, which governs the city’s subway and bus systems, and state commuter rails such as Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road will require masks.
— Portland TriMet, the transit agency serving much of the Portland, Oregon, area, will still mandate masks on its buses and trains.
