The CEOs of several major airlines and cargo carriers are asking the White House to lift COVID-19 precautions – including mask mandates – for travelers.
In a letter to President Joe Biden, Airlines for America, a trade group, wrote, "The high level of immunity in the U.S., availability of high-quality masks for those who wish to use them, hospital-grade cabin air, widespread vaccine availability and newly available therapeutics provide a strong foundation for the Administration to lift the mask mandate and pre-departure testing requirements. We urge you to do so now."
"We are requesting this action not only for the benefit of the traveling public, but also for the thousands of airline employees charged with enforcing a patchwork of now-outdated regulations implemented in response to COVID-19," read the Wednesday letter, which was signed by the heads of ten airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
The Transportation Security Administration announced last month that it was extending the mask mandate on public transportation until April 18.
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