Whoa: US Airline Face Mask Mandate Ends Early

I didn't see the federal transportation mask mandate ending in the United States.

Government makes masks at airports and on airplanes optional

The United States has had a federal transportation mask mandate for several years. It was extended through May, 2022, out of an abundance of caution, because it was supposed to apply through April 18, 2022.

The federal transportation mask mandate exceeded the authority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the CDC didn't follow proper rule making procedures, according to a ruling by a US District Judge on Monday.

The Biden administration stated that the transportation mask mandate will no longer be enforced. It is not known if the Biden administration will appeal the ruling. The mandate has become less popular over time, so it's not likely that I'll do it.

US airlines now making face masks optional

Individual airlines can make their own policies despite the fact that masks are no longer required on airplanes. For most of 2020 there wasn't a federal regulation requiring masks on planes, but each individual airline required this.

Several airlines in the United States have already announced that they will no longer enforce mask compliance on planes. This also includes:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• United Airlines

There are some interesting stories from passengers today, with some reporting that pilots made announcements while inflight telling passengers masks were no longer required.

If anyone is flying in the next few days, I would love to hear how many people are wearing masks. I had my first mask-optional experience at the airport a couple of weeks ago, yet most of the people were still wearing masks.

I think it will be different in the United States, with some variation depending on the place. I think the number of passengers wearing masks at Miami Airport will be different than the number of passengers wearing masks at San Francisco Airport.

Bottom line

A judge ruled against the federal transportation mask mandate, and as a result the Biden administration instructed the TSA to no longer enforce mask wearing. Airlines are starting to make mask wearing optional. The days for the mandate were numbered so it is unlikely that the Biden administration will appeal.

What do you think about the latest mask mandate update? Please report your experience if you are flying in the next few days.