Airline CEOs, travel groups urge White House to lift mask rules on flights
Delta, American and United Airlines, and others are urging the White House to end a federal mask mandate on airplanes, along with international pre-departure testing requirements.The airline executives sent a letter to the president late Wednesday, saying the restrictions are no longer aligned with the realities of the current epidemiological environment.This comes after the Biden administration decided this month to extend current mask requirements at airports, train stations, ride-sharing vehicles, and other transportation through April 18.
The order was set to expire on March 18.In the letter, the CEOs told the president, "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."READ: CDC director expects COVID-19 to become a 'seasonal virus'Passengers who spoke with FOX 13 Thursday morning at Tampa International Airport said they feel it's time to ease mask requirements on planes and airports."I think it makes sense.
I mean, it’s waived everywhere else," said one passenger. "At the airport, you’re kind of wearing a mask at the terminal and then you're sitting side-by-side on the plane.
I see all the numbers coming down as it is, so why not lift (mask requirements) all the way around? What’s the difference between the airport and the schools?"One day before the letter from the airline executives, the U.S.
United States
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Cases: 46 252 513
Deaths: 750 423
Recovered: 0
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India
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Cases: 34 321 025
Deaths: 459 652
Recovered: 0
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Brazil
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Cases: 21 835 785
Deaths: 608 235
Recovered: 0
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United Kingdom
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Cases: 9 215 683
Deaths: 141 607
Recovered: 0
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Russia
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Cases: 8 494 589
Deaths: 237 619
Recovered: 0
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