With a U.S. federal judge has thrown out the national mask mandate covering airlines and other modes of public transportation, effective immediately, TSA said, it will no longer enforce its Security Directives and Emergency Amendment requiring mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs.
TSA will also rescind the new Security Directives that were scheduled to take effect on April 19, 2022.
American Airlines said that face masks will no longer be required for our customers and team members at U.S. airports and on domestic flights. Please note face masks may still be required based on local ordinances, or when traveling to/from certain international locations based on country requirements. In keeping with our commitment to creating a welcoming environment for everyone who travels with us, customers and team members may choose to continue to wear masks at their own discretion.
Delta said, masks are optional for all airport employees, crew members and customers inside U.S. airports and on board all aircraft domestically, as well as on most international flights.
Southwest employees and customers will be able to choose whether they would like to wear a mask on flights, at domestic airports, and at some international locations.
United Airlines tweeted, “Masks are no longer required on domestic flights, select international flights (dependent upon the arrival country’s requirements) or at U.S. airports. More comfortable keeping yours on? Go right ahead… the choice is yours (you look dino-mite either way)!”
Frontier Airlines’ tweet says, “To mask or not to mask, the choice is yours. Masks are now optional on domestic flights, however, certain airports or countries may still require masks, so check the policy at your destination prior to departure and we’ll see you in the sky.”
U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes said, “The current decision to halt enforcement of the federal mask mandate effectively returns the choice of mask usage on planes and other forms of public transportation to travelers and travel industry workers, a further step toward endemic management of Covid.
“We also continue to urge the administration to immediately end pre-departure testing for vaccinated inbound international passengers, which discourages travel and provides limited public health benefits.”
The CDC had recently extended the mask mandate, which was set to expire Monday, until May 3.
