Masks no longer needed on planes and public transportation, TSA says. What to know

Travelers are no longer required to wear a mask on planes, trains and public transportation hubs following the decision of a federal judge in Florida, the Transportation Security Administration says.

This comes days after the agency, alongside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, extended the mask mandate for 15 days on April 13. However, the April 18 court ruling has done away with this requirement after it’s been in effect for roughly two years.

Here’s what you should know:

The TSA said it will no longer enforce masks “effective immediately” following U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle’s ruling that the CDC doesn’t have the authority to keep the public transportation mask mandate in place, the Associated Press reported.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the CDC “continues recommending wearing a mask in public transit” and called the judge’s decision “disappointing” during an April 18 news conference.

She added that the CDC is “reviewing the decision” and the Justice Department “would make any determinations about litigation.”

Airlines respond to court ruling

Several U.S. airlines — including Delta Airlines, JetBlue, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines — echoed the TSA’s announcement while emphasizing to the public that mask wearing while in an airport or flying is now optional for passengers and employees.

“Remember to show understanding and patience with others who may not be aware enforcement is no longer required,” Delta Airlines said in a statement.

“More comfortable keeping yours on? Go right ahead … the choice is yours,” United Airlines said in a statement.

Delta Airlines noted that masks may be required when traveling to other countries.

Passengers still need to wear a mask while flying to Canada and back, Alaska Airlines said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines said it is offering “additional layers of protection” on flights.

This includes “sophisticated cabin air ventilation systems onboard our aircraft which incorporate HEPA air filtration that removes at least 99.97% of airborne particles.”

“We encourage individuals to make the best decision to support their personal wellbeing,” Southwest Airlines said.

What about public transit?

Public transportation systems in several states are taking differing stances when it comes to ending mask mandates.

In New York City, masks are still needed on trains, subways and buses as of April 19, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), WABC reported.

The MTA said that it is “continuing to follow CDC guidelines and will review the Florida court order,” in a statement, according to the outlet.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority made a similar announcement on April 18.

However, in New Jersey, the public transportation system NJ Transit will not require passengers to wear masks, Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the rail service Amtrak, which operates nationwide, is no longer requiring masks but said they’re “welcome and remain an important preventive measure against COVID-19.”

The current COVID-19 situation

COVID-19 cases are on the rise in some areas in the U.S. as of April 13, according to the CDC. Infections rose by 19.1% compared to the prior week’s average.

The BA.2 omicron subvariant continues to dominate cases and made up roughly 85.9% of infections the week ending April 9, CDC data estimates show.

Psaki commented on why the mask mandate, now struck down, was extended for public transportation on April 13 during the White House briefing.

“What we announced last week was just a two-week extension in order to have time to assess what we’ve all seen is rising cases, and make an assessment and recommendation with that in mind.”

Meanwhile, Delta Airlines said the company is “relieved to see the U.S. mask mandate lift to facilitate global travel as COVID-19 has transitioned to an ordinary seasonal virus.”

This story was originally published April 19, 2022 at 10:47 AM with the headline "Masks no longer needed on planes and public transportation, TSA says. What to know."

Julia Marnin

McClatchy DC

Julia Marnin covers courts for McClatchy News, writing about criminal and civil affairs, including cases involving policing, corrections, civil liberties, fraud, and abuses of power. As a reporter on McClatchy’s National Real-Time Team, she’s also covered the COVID-19 pandemic and a variety of other topics since joining in 2021, following a fellowship with Newsweek. Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, she was raised in South Jersey and is now based in New York State.