Airlines, Airports And Amtrak Drop Mask Mandates Following Court Ruling

Major airlines, airports, Amtrak and Uber ended their mask requirements just hours after a federal judge on Monday voided a recently extended mandate.

Most major air carriers in the United States announced that, effective immediately, they will no longer enforce mask-wearing rules, which had been federal requirements on public transportation since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. Airlines making the change include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Jet Blue, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.

Face masks have been like boarding passes for nearly two years you couldnt fly without one. But, as of today, masks are optional in airports and onboard aircraft, effective immediately, Alaska Airlines, one of the first to announce its policy switch, said in a statement .

The announcements follow a similar reversal by the Transportation Security Administration, which had been responsible for enforcing the federal mask mandate for travelers. The TSA noted that masks are still recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when in indoor public transportation settings.

Passengers on several airlines tweeted that captains announced the new policy mid-flight and allowed people to remove their masks.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot speaking. This is the most important announcement Ive ever made. The federal mask mandate is over. Take off your mask if you choose!

A wonderful moment mid flight on @alaskaair today! pic.twitter.com/nWSatDRB83

Ben Dietderich (@ben_dietd) April 18, 2022","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Ben Dietderich","author_url":"https://twitter.com/ben_dietd","cache_age":86400,"description":"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot speaking. This is the most important announcement Ive ever made. The federal mask mandate is over. Take off your mask if you choose! A wonderful moment mid flight on @alaskaair today! pic.twitter.com/nWSatDRB83 Ben Dietderich (@ben_dietd) April 18, 2022\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":1280,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1516191632839774208/pu/img/lBbRwGHQvrDsa-IT.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":720,"title":"Ben Dietderich on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/ben_dietd/status/1516191733645975554","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"625e0168e4b0723f801c09da","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/airlines-drop-mask-mandate_n_625e0168e4b0723f801c09da","entryTagsList":"airlines,mask-mandate","sectionSlug":"us-news","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"politics,health,travel","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.us-news","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/bb34cd90-72d1-42cb-819d-d8c113c5c926/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":10},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"625e0168e4b0723f801c09da","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Airlines","slug":"airlines","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/airlines","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/airlines","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/airlines"},"department":{"name":"Life","slug":"lifestyle"},"section":{"title":"Travel","slug":"travel"},"topic":{"title":"Airlines","slug":"airlines","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/life/topic/airlines"},{"name":"mask mandate","slug":"mask-mandate","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/mask-mandate","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/mask-mandate","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/mask-mandate"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/mask-mandate"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">

Ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot speaking. This is the most important announcement Ive ever made. The federal mask mandate is over. Take off your mask if you choose!

A wonderful moment mid flight on @alaskaair today! pic.twitter.com/nWSatDRB83
Ben Dietderich (@ben_dietd) April 18, 2022

Passenger rail service Amtrak also announced it was dropping the mask mandate, as did ride-hailing company Uber .

New Yorks Metropolitan Transportation Authority, North Americas largest transportation network, said its mask requirements will continue to be enforced.

Though many airlines dropped the policy, not all airports have, meaning passengers may be allowed to go maskless while on a plane but would have to put one on before boarding or after landing.

The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, for instance, said masks starting Tuesday are now optional for employees and passengers, while international airports in Chicago and New York City continued to require masks. The Chicago Department of Aviation, which oversees Chicago OHare and Midway International Airports, cited a state executive health order for its decision.

The mask policy reversals followed a ruling Monday by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle of Florida. Mizelle, a Donald Trump nominee, wrote in her 59-page decision that the mask mandate exceeded the authority of U.S. health officials, saying they may not act unlawfully even in pursuit of desirable ends.

The CDC recently extended the public transit mask mandate, which had been set to end Monday, until May 3. The agency cited the need for more time to study the BA.2 omicron subvariant thats now dominating the countrys new cases, which are beginning to rise in some areas but still remain low relative to other peaks in the pandemic. However, health experts warn that those case numbers may be undercounted as mass testing slows down.

The Justice Department has not yet said whether it plans to appeal the Florida judges ruling.

The White House said Monday that the Biden administration continues to recommend mask-wearing on public transit and that administration officials are still reviewing the Florida judges ruling.