A US federal judge has struck down the Covid-19 mask mandate for public transportation imposed by the administration of President Joe Biden, prompting major airlines to quickly drop the requirement.
US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle of the Middle District of Florida said the mask mandate exceeds the statutory authority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The mandate requiring face masks on airplanes, subways, trains, buses, taxis and other forms of public transportation was recently extended by the CDC until 3 May amid a rise in coronavirus cases.
US airlines and a number of Republican lawmakers have called for an end to the mask mandate, which was issued by the CDC on 3 February 2021, shortly after Mr Biden took office.