© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

U.S. airline CEOs call on President Biden to end the federal mask mandate on planes

The CEOs of the major U.S. airlines have called on President Biden to end the federal mask mandate for public transportation. Here, a traveler works on a laptop computer at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Dec. 3.
Brandon Bell
/
Getty Images
The CEOs of the major U.S. airlines have called on President Biden to end the federal mask mandate for public transportation. Here, a traveler works on a laptop computer at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Dec. 3.

A group of CEOs from all major airlines in the U.S. is calling on President Biden to drop the federal transportation mask mandate along with the international pre-departure COVID-19 testing requirement.

In an open letter released by the travel-industry lobbying group Airlines for America, the group is calling on the Biden administration to "sunset federal transportation travel restrictions." The group argues that the restrictions no longer reflect the "realities of the current epidemiological environment."

The letter was signed by the leaders of 10 U.S. companies, including six of the largest airlines in the country: Alaska Airlines, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United.

"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.

The group argues that the increase in vaccinations nationwide and the lifting of restrictions in other countries are reasons the Biden administration should reconsider its COVID policies for travelers.

"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 group said.

The CEOs emphasized that, while they've supported and cooperated with the federal government's COVID policies, including masking and pre-departure testing, enforcing those rules has fallen to airline employees for the past two years.

"This is not a function they are trained to perform and subjects them to daily challenges by frustrated customers. This, in turn, takes a toll on their own well-being," according to Airlines for America.

So far, the White House has not yet commented on the group's request.

The mandate for mask use on public transportation and in transportation hubs had been set to expire on March 18, but earlier this month the Transportation Security Administration extended the policy through April 18.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Jonathan Franklin
Jonathan Franklin is a digital reporter on the News desk covering general assignment and breaking national news.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Related Content