Major US airlines drop mask mandates on court ruling

Bloomberg

Most major US airlines are no longer requiring travellers or employees to wear face coverings on domestic and some international flights.
The decisions came hours after a US judge overturned a federal mandate for passengers to cover their faces. The US Transportation Security Administration said after the court ruling that it would stop requiring passengers on planes, trains and other public transportation to wear masks “at this time.”
The five largest US carriers — American Airlines Group Inc, Alaska Air Group Inc, Delta Air Lines Inc, Southwest Airlines Co and United Airlines Holdings Inc — said they were dropping their mandates effective immediately. Use of masks will be optional for both passengers and staff, they said.
JetBlue Airways Corp said on its Twitter account that “in line with the federal court ruling and the TSA’s guidance, mask wearing will now be optional on JetBlue within the US. While no longer required, customers and crew members may continue wearing masks in our terminals and on board our aircraft.”
Delta said customer communications and signs in airports will be updated to reflect the change, and cautioned that local mask mandates may remain in effect. “We are relieved to see the US mask mandate lift to facilitate global travel as Covid-19 has transitioned to an ordinary seasonal virus,” the Atlanta-based carrier said.
In spite of the easing, most people weren’t in a hurry to take their masks off immediately. At San Francisco’s airport, most passengers and employees still had their face coverings.
“That’s fine but I just prefer to wear my mask in these kind of open spaces,” said Camila Crews, 39, who was getting on a flight to Los Angeles. “The masks have been working.”
United, which among was the first of the US airlines to drop its mask mandate, told employees they’ll be spared the task of forcing passengers to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
“This means that you are no longer required to wear a mask — and no longer have to enforce a mask requirement for most of the flying public,” the Chicago-based carrier said in a memo to staff.
US airlines had asked the Biden administration to end its masking requirement for public transport, but last week the CDC extended the ban until May 3. The CDC said that the national mask requirement on public transportation is no longer in effect, citing the court ruling .
Mask mandates have led to a marked increase in disruptive passengers and airline employee assaults since being imposed in early 2020.
“I am very relieved,” said Lillian Fakatou, 24, who was flying to Salt Lake City from San Francisco after the court ruling. “I am so much happier.”
Airlines have also pressed for a new “no-fly” list for passengers who assault their workers or fellow air travellers. Alaska said that it would continue to ban some past customers “whose behaviour was particularly egregious” even after the era of mandatory mask wearing is over.