Several major airlines are dropping their mask requirements after a Florida judge struck down a federal mask mandate covering public transportation.
Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines announced Monday that masks will be optional for employees and customers on domestic flights.
“Face masks have been like boarding passes for nearly two years — you couldn’t fly without one. But, as of today, masks are optional in airports and onboard aircraft, effective immediately,” Alaska Airlines wrote in a statement.
FLORIDA JUDGE OVERTURNS FEDERAL MASK MANDATE FOR TRANSPORTATION
Airlines urged passengers to follow local guidance when traveling, as some airports might continue to require masks. International flights may still require masks depending on mask mandates in effect in other countries.
Delta Air Lines advised passengers that they might “experience inconsistent enforcement during the next 24 hours” as the change goes into effect. The Association of Flight Attendants urged patience and understanding as news of the mask requirement change spreads.
“We urge everyone to practice patience, remain calm, and to continue to follow crewmember instructions. And we remind passengers that it is legally required to follow crewmember instructions, and that disruptive behavior has serious consequences as it puts everyone at risk. Our work space is your travel space. Let’s get where we’re going, together,” the association said in a statement.
Other forms of public transportation followed suit, with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and Amtrak announcing that masks will be optional.
“While Amtrak passengers and employees are no longer required to wear masks while on board trains or in stations, masks are welcome and remain an important preventive measure against COVID-19,” an Amtrak spokesperson told WTOP.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The implementation of mask mandates was left up to individual transportation companies after U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa, Florida, vacated the federal mask mandate Monday.
The Biden administration said Monday evening that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people continue to wear masks on indoor public transportation as officials weigh the next steps.
The Transportation Security Administration will no longer enforce its “Security Directives and Emergency Amendment” requiring mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs, the agency said in a statement, adding that it “will also rescind the new Security Directives that were scheduled to take effect tomorrow.”
