Airline CEOs ask Biden to end federal mask mandate: 'Makes no sense'
'Makes no sense that people are still required to wear masks,' the letter reads
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A group of airline CEOs sent a letter to President Biden calling on him to end the federal mask mandate on public transportation, arguing mandatory masking is"no longer aligned with the realities of the current epidemiological environment."
"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.
CEOs of Alaska Air, Atlas Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, FedEx Express, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, UPS Airlines and Airlines for America signed the letter.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALK | ALASKA AIR GROUP INC. | 52.30 | -0.84 | -1.58% |
| AAWW | NO DATA AVAILABLE | - | - | - |
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 14.20 | -0.26 | -1.80% |
| DAL | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 63.34 | -0.28 | -0.45% |
| FDX | FEDEX CORP. | 295.25 | +7.25 | +2.52% |
| HA | NO DATA AVAILABLE | - | - | - |
| JBLU | JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORP. | 6.15 | +0.11 | +1.82% |
| LUV | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. | 31.79 | +0.02 | +0.06% |
| UPS | UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INC. | 131.37 | -0.72 | -0.55% |
A TSA officer wears a mask and gloves, amid the worldwide coronavirus outbreak, at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., March 11, 2020. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (REUTERS/Brian Snyder / Reuters Photos)
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"Now is the time for the Administration to sunset federal transportation travel restrictions — including the international predeparture testing requirement and the federal mask mandate — that are no longer aligned with the realities of the current epidemiological environment," the letter continued.
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Earlier this month, the Biden administration extended the mask mandates for public transportation until April 18. All 50 states have meanwhile announced plans to drop masking requirements.
FILE PHOTO: Passengers reclaim their luggage at the airport in Denver, Colorado, U.S., November 24, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo (REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo / Reuters)
"We are encouraged by the current data and the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions from coast to coast, which indicate it is past time to eliminate COVID-era transportation policies," the letter to the president said.
FAA STATS SHOW UNRULY PASSENGERS ARE ON THE RISE
The CEOs argued that enforcing the rules have fallen on airline employees, which has subjected "them to daily challenges by frustrated customers" and is taking "a toll on their own well-being."
President Joe Biden removes his face mask as he arrives for an event to mark Amtrak's 50th anniversary at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Friday, April 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (AP)
FAA data last year showed the number of unruly passengers on flights was on the rise. This year, there have been 961 reports of unruly passengers, 635 of them were mask related incidents, FAA data show.
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The Biden administration did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the letter.