Travel News

Breaking: Federal Judge Blocks the Mask Mandate for Airplanes & More

a man wearing a face mask while using a phone
Written by Charlie

In a just announced ruling, a federal judge has blocked the CDC mask mandate for airplanes, trains, airports, etc. Here are the current details.

With the CDC having already extended the current mask mandate until May 3, this ruling looks to block the mask mandate even before that. So, what does this mean?

Judge Blocks the Mask Mandate

With some already saying that the CDC had said they will appeal, currently there is no official word if they will appeal this ruling that was just made.

The ruling was made by US District Court Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle. This was a case brought before the Florida federal court by the Health Freedom Defense Fund, Inc along with two travelers, Ana Daza and Sarah Pope.

The judge ruled that the CDC had applied flawed reasoning to their perspective of the cases and the Public Health Services Act of 1944 that had given the CDC the basis for their mask mandate in the first place.

You can read more about it here but my guess is we will know more in the next 24 hours, if the administration will let the ruling stand and use that as their way of letting the mask mandate go or if they will appeal it to fight it. At this point, with unions, airline executives, doctors, and the traveling public largely against the mask mandate (and several states bringing suit against the Biden administration as well), I find it hard to believe that it would be a viable route to take. At present, the mask mandate is set to expire in just 2 weeks and, while an appeal could allow it to stand during the process, is it the best use of resources?

I am certainly not a lawyer so I will not pretend that I am. Any lawyers that are reading this, certainly chime in with your legal perspectives on this case!

At any rate, it could be sooner than we thought that the mandatory use of masks on airplanes (and trains and in airports/depots/etc) will go away.

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About the author

Charlie

Charlie has been an avid traveler and runner for many years. He has run in marathons around the world for less than it would cost to travel to the next town - all as a result of collecting and using miles and points. Over the years, he has flown hundreds of thousands of miles and collected millions of miles and points.
Now he uses this experience and knowledge to help others through Running with Miles.

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