Airline Pilots File Lawsuit Saying Mask Mandate is Illegal
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued mask mandate for public transportation that went into effect on Feb. 1, 2021. It was originally set to expire on May 11, 2021, but it has been extended several times since then with new waves of of COVID-19. The latest extension was done just over a week ago, which means that the mask mandate is in affect at least through April 18.
Until then, the “CDC will work with government agencies to help inform a revised policy framework for when, and under what circumstances, masks should be required in the public transportation corridor,” TSA said in its statement.
The Senate voted to end the mandate, but the resolution faces two more hurdles which will likely kill it. But now there’s a new opposition to the mandate, this on in the form of a lawsuit.
A group of commercial airline pilots filed a lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in an attempt to lift the federal mask mandate for public transportation. There are ten pilots from three airlines involved in the lawsuit, Fox News reports.
The pilots, who work for American JetBlue and Southwest, argue that the CDC issued an order “Requirement for Persons to Wear Masks While on Conveyances & at Transportation Hubs” on Feb. 1, 2020 “without providing public notice or soliciting comment.” They lawsuit alleges that the move is an “illegal and unconstitutional exercise of executive authority,” and is asking the to “vacate worldwide the FTMM (federal transportation mask mandate)”.
The pilots also claim that federal officials adopted the policy despite “countless scientific and medical studies and articles showing that face masks are totally ineffective.”
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Since when do pandemic containment measures require public input? Honest to goodness, the arrogance of people about this would be hilarious if it weren’t so stupid.
“face masks are totally ineffective” – really? So I guess the flu disappearing for the last couple years was because it took a vacation?
I mean, it seems a little in this pandemia to sue for this….