Several airlines have made the use of masks optional for both passengers and employees after a Monday’s decision from the judge who struck Below are the traffic masking rules from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Delta, United and American are among the airlines that will no longer require masks.
“Effective immediately, masks are optional for all airport employees, crew members and customers inside US airports and on board aircraft,” Delta Air Lines said in a statement. Delta noted that the sudden nature of the ruling and the Biden administration’s announcement that the Transportation Security Agency would no longer enforce the mandate meant passengers could experience “inconsistent enforcement over the next 24 hours.”
“Remember to show understanding and patience with others who may not be aware that law enforcement is no longer required,” the airline said.
United Airlines also announced Monday that “effective immediately, masks are no longer required at United on domestic flights, select international flights (depending on the arrival country’s mask requirements), or at US airports.”
American Airlines also made mask wearing optional on Monday, saying “face masks will no longer be required for our customers and team members at US airports and on domestic flights.”
Alaska Airlines said Monday that masks would be optional at airports and on planes “effective immediately.” Alaska also addressed the issue of passengers being banned from travel for refusing to comply with the mask mandate, saying “we will have some guests whose behavior was particularly egregious who will continue to be banned, even after the mask policy is rescinded.” “.
All four airlines noted that those who choose to continue wearing face masks can still do so.
U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa on Monday struck down the CDC’s mask mandate, ruling that “the mask mandate exceeds CDC’s statutory authority and violates procedures required for agency regulation under the APA.” .
The mask mandate was scheduled to expire Monday, but the CDC extended it until May 3 by concerns about the increase in cases caused by the BA.2 subvariant of the Omicron strain.
The largest US airlines had previously pushed for the Biden administration to rescind the mandate, arguing that their aircraft’s air filtration systems combined with higher overall immunity from vaccines made the mandate unnecessary. Carriers also noted that mask mandates for restaurants and other closed places will be lifted.