In a letter to the White House, chief executives from major airlines say the mask mandate should not be extended beyond April 18.
The extension came as many states had rolled back rules that people wear masks indoors and after the CDC revised its rules on mask-wearing.
The letter from airline executives noted the contradictions in requiring masks in transportation settings, but not in other places. “It makes no sense that people are still required to wear masks on airplanes, yet are allowed to congregate in crowded restaurants, schools and at sporting events without masks, despite none of these venues having the protective air filtration system that aircraft do,” the letter said.Even groups that previously supported the mandate, including the American Public Transportation Association, has said it is time to set the requirement aside.
before boarding their flight had “outlived its utility.” The requirement was put into place in early December as part of an effort slow the introduction of the omicron variant and other variants into the country. The industry generally supported pre-departure testing at the time it began, but argued in the letter that continuing such a requirement — when the European Union, United Kingdom and Canada have dropped theirs — puts the U.S. travel and tourism industry at a disadvantage.The letter also noted the toll that policies, particularly the mask mandate, has taken on front-line employees charged with enforcing the requirement.
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