Republicans, sued to immediately end the requirement. Days earlier, executives from 10 major airlines, including American, Southwest, United and Delta, had asked the Biden administration to end the mask mandate as well.
RELATED: 3 Things to Consider With Mask Mandates Lifting
Are Americans divided?
But in a March poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation, Americans were divided on their feelings about mask mandates on public transportation, with 48% saying it should be extended and 51% wanting it to expire.
For some travelers, the announcement from the T.S.A. that it would stop enforcing a mask mandate came as they were already on their way — in airport terminals, on the tarmac or even in the air.
Many passengers greeted the news with applause and cheers, as seen in videos on social media. One took a celebratory selfie, with most fellow passengers in wide, maskless grins, The New York Times reports. A pilot told those aboard his flight: “Congratulations.”
On the other hand, some passengers were uncomfortable with the unexpected announcement.
“For this announcement to happen literally minutes before we got in the plane made me feel very uncomfortable,” Scott Hechinger, a lawyer, was waiting for his delayed flight to New York at a crowded terminal in West Palm Beach, Fla., wrote in a text message. On his flight, about 75 percent were unmasked, according to the Times.
He was worried about his wife and 6-year-old son, who were in the air on a separate flight en route to Los Angeles.
“It hit me that my wife and young son would also likely get this announcement midflight and be more exposed than usual,” he wrote. “I’m upset, uncomfortable, and frustrated.”
Even as the highly contagious BA.2 subvariant fuels infections in the United States, with cases climbing in some northeastern cities, the TSA has reported that air travel is surging, with up to 2 million people flying every day, according to the Post.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents nearly 50,000 flight attendants at 17 airlines, noted in a statement Monday that while legal uncertainties remain, passengers should try to be patient during the transition.
“Immediately, we urge calm and consistency in the airports and on planes. The last thing we need for workers on the frontlines or passengers traveling today is confusion and chaos,” the association said. “In aviation operations, it is impossible to simply flip a switch from one minute to the next. It takes a minimum of 24 to 48 hours to implement new procedures and communicate this throughout the entire network. Policies and procedures must be updated and thoroughly communicated to hundreds of thousands of employees, along with millions of travelers. We encourage travelers to check the latest updates from airlines for specific travel requirements while airlines implement any new policies.”
RELATED: Many International Airlines Have Ended Mask Mandates
Tips for safe traveling
The CDC recommends not traveling if:
- You are sick, even if you recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days or are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.
- You tested positive for COVID-19.
- Do not travel until a full 10 days after your symptoms started or the date your positive test was taken if you had no symptoms.
- You are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test.
- You had close contact with a person with COVID-19 and are recommended to quarantine.
- Do not travel until a full 5 days after your last close contact with the person with COVID-19. It is best to avoid travel for a full 10 days after your last exposure.
- If you must travel during days 6 through 10 after your last exposure:
- Get tested at least 5 days after your last close contact. Make sure your test result is negative and you remain without symptoms before traveling. If you don’t get tested, avoid travel until a full 10 days after your last close contact with a person with COVID-19.
- Properly wear a well-fitting mask when you are around others for the entire duration of travel during days 6 through 10. If you are unable to wear a mask, you should not travel during days 6 through 10.
For more information about the travel requirements during the pandemic, click here.