Let the mask mandate die

At first, a Florida federal judge’s decision last Monday to overturn the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s mask mandate was received with delight and relief. Videos of passengers cheering and flight attendants weeping for joy spread far and wide on social media.

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, and United all announced on that very same day that they would no longer enforce the mandate on their flights. The Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration followed suit on Tuesday.