Airlines and Airports Drop Mask Requirements
A federal judge in Florida ruled Monday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s mask mandate in airports, transit hubs, and public transportation is unlawful.
The ruling was made by US District Court Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle for the Middle District of Florida, who ordered that the mandate be struck down. In a summary judgment, the judge wrote that the CDC exceeded its legal powers by issuing the mandate.
The CDC had recently extended the order for two more weeks, through May 3. But the surprise order brought on some confusion at first as to how it would translate for travelers. However airlines were quick to act later in the day, and letting passengers know that masks are now only optional.
All major U.S. airlines, including American, Delta and United, got rid of the mask requirements on Monday. The White House clarified that the CDC’s public transportation mask order was no longer in effect. It said the Transportation Security Administration would not enforce the rule on public transport and transportation hubs while the judge’s order is being reviewed.
United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, Spirit and Frontier have all announced that masks are no longer required for domestic travel, and many international routes. Several airports such as Raleigh-Durham, Miami and Portland have also confirmed that they will no longer enforce the mask mandate. The rules for airports could vary by state or city, so it’s best to still have a mask with you when traveling.
The mask requirement for public transportation was first enacted in February 2021 and was most recently extended for only two weeks, instead of the usual 30 days. However, airlines had their own requirements in place for almost two years, even before the federal mandate was enacted.
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Long overdue. Mask Nazis.
Thank goodness. So tired of authoritarian cabin crew taking out their aggressions on passengers over this nonsense.