Masks Are Now Optional on Flights in the U.S. After Florida Ruling

Following a federal judge's ruling in Florida on Monday stating that U.S. health agencies lack the authority to enforce a national mask mandate for transportation, White House officials announced that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) would cease enforcement of mask requirements on airplanes, at airports, and on other public transport.

U.S. airlines have begun to update their policies in response to the ruling.

United Airlines announced on Monday night that, effective immediately, masks are no longer mandatory on domestic flights, select international flights (depending on the arrival country's mask regulations), or at U.S. airports.

"While our employees are not required to wear masks and will not enforce a mask mandate for most travelers, they may still choose to wear them, as the CDC continues to strongly recommend mask usage on public transit," United stated in a message to Dinogo.

Delta Air Lines announced that while the mask mandate will no longer be enforced at airports and on flights, "Delta employees and customers are welcome to wear masks if they wish to do so."

The airline urged passengers to be patient and understanding in the hours and days ahead. "Due to the sudden nature of this announcement, please note that customers, airline staff, and federal employees, such as TSA, may receive this information at different times. You might encounter inconsistent enforcement in the next 24 hours as this news spreads. Please be considerate and patient with others who may not yet be aware that masks are no longer required," Delta stated.

American Airlines also announced on Monday that "following the TSA's decision to stop enforcing the federal face mask mandate, masks will no longer be necessary for our customers and team members at U.S. airports and on domestic flights."

American reminded travelers that face mask requirements may still apply based on local regulations—for example, Philadelphia has recently reinstated its indoor mask mandate—or when flying to or from international locations that might require masks on flights.

Alaska Airlines quickly followed suit, making masks optional on its flights in light of the recent announcement.

The abrupt end to the federal mask mandate was triggered by a 59-page court order issued on April 18 by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, appointed by former President Donald Trump, which stated that the CDC did not adequately justify its mask order and failed to follow proper federal procedures in implementing it.

This decision came less than a week after the CDC and TSA announced an extension of the transportation mask requirement for an additional two weeks until May 3, 2022, due to a rise in COVID-19 cases and the spread of the BA.2 variant. The mandate was originally scheduled to expire on April 18.

The White House described Monday’s ruling as "disappointing," with spokesperson Jen Psaki informing reporters that "we continue to recommend that people wear masks."

The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), representing nearly 50,000 flight attendants across 17 airlines, called for calm amid the confusion caused by the ruling. "We will soon provide more legal analysis on the implications and potential next steps the government may take in court," AFA stated. The Biden administration could still consider appealing the order.

"We urge clear communication to prevent flight attendants and other frontline workers from facing increased violence stemming from uncertainty and confusion," AFA added.

Air rage, often fueled by the federal mask mandate, has been increasing, putting flight attendants and crew at risk. In its most recent report dated April 12, 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that airlines have reported 1,150 incidents involving unruly passengers this year, with 744 of those—65 percent—related to mask-related issues.

The AFA emphasized that aviation policies and procedures cannot be changed instantly and that it may take a day or two to finalize the details of this new ruling. "We encourage travelers to check for the latest updates from airlines regarding specific travel requirements as they implement any new policies," the AFA stated.

The transportation mask mandate originated in January 2021 when the Biden administration and the CDC mandated mask-wearing on airplanes, in airports, on ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, and at train, bus, and subway stations. (As of February 25, school buses and vans are exempt.) U.S. airlines had already required passengers and crew to wear masks since mid-2020.

However, the administration has faced increasing pressure to lift the transportation mask mandate.

On March 23, the top executives of the nation’s major airlines sent a letter to President Biden requesting the removal of the federal transportation mask mandate and the international COVID-19 testing requirement for travelers entering the U.S.

"A lot has changed since these measures were put in place, and they no longer align with the current public health situation," stated the letter, signed by the CEOs of Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, and United.

"It's important to acknowledge that our employees have been tasked with enforcing both the mask and pre-departure testing requirements for two years now, which exposes them to daily frustrations from customers," the letter highlighted.

A significant number of travelers are also ready to see masks lifted—54 percent expressed a desire for the federal mask mandate to end, according to a recent survey from travel app TripIt by Concur. The survey, which included over 700 U.S.-based users earlier this month, revealed that only one-third wanted the mandate to be extended, while 16 percent had no strong opinion either way.

Reporting contributed by The Associated Press.