Alaska Airlines: Masks Now Optional, Banned Passengers Welcome Back

After a federal judge struck down the transportation mask mandate some airlines are saying masks are still required on board.

United Airlines told employees that the mask mandate is still in effect despite the ruling, pending notification to the contrary by the federal government.

Alaska Airlines stated that masks are no longer mandatory.

Face masks have been like boarding passes for nearly two years — you couldn’t fly without one. But, as of today, masks are optional in airports and onboard aircraft, effective immediately.

Due to a judicial decision in our federal court system, the mask mandate has been overturned, which means our guests and employees have the option to wear a mask while traveling in the U.S. and at work.

Passengers banned for mask non-compliance will be welcomed back on board. Passengers banned over masks will not be allowed to fly that carrier until the mask requirement is lifted. Delta is one of those airlines.

Alaska is clear that passengers who have been banned from flying may not return.

What happens to guests who were banned because of not following our previous mask policy? Throughout the last two years, we have relied on reporting from agents and flight attendants to ban noncompliant guests from traveling while the federal mask policy remained in effect. Based on our reports, we will have some guests whose behavior was particularly egregious who will remain banned, even after the mask policy is rescinded.

Some passengers will still be banned even though others have their ban lifted. Who moves publicly next?

The federal government will stop its enforcement of masks on planes, so United will no longer require them.

I have argued that flight attendants should be allowed to wear masks when airlines forbid it and the CDC isn't yet suggesting it. I have argued that conservatives should favor mask-wearing as a conservative alternative to lockdowns. I was happy to see that JetBlue was the first U.S.

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I predicted back in November that mask disputes on planes would become more common over the winter, and it seems that's become the case, at least based on social media reports and airlines reporting on the number of people banned over masks. Even tiny Alaska Airlines is now.

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When the federal mask mandate ends on September 13th, American Airlines will not be offering alcohol in economy on domestic flights.

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