Passengers, almost all with face masks, embark on an American Airlines flight to Charlotte on May 3, 2020, in New York City.
Eleonore Sens | AFP | Getty Images
President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Thursday demanding that masks be worn on airplanes, trains, buses and airports, as coronavirus infections continue to rise.
The Trump administration refused to demand masks for air travel and other modes of transportation, leaving private companies to establish their own policies, although Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has repeatedly recommended their use.
This has left flight attendants and other employees to enforce the rules. The unions that pushed for a federal mask mandate encouraged Biden’s order.
“What a difference leadership makes! We welcome President Biden’s national approach to crushing the virus and getting us out of this pandemic,” said Sara Nelson, president of the Vol-CWA Assistants Association. the largest labor union in the country. statement. “Today’s executive action on a mask warrant for interstate travel, including airports and airplanes, will provide much-needed backup for flight attendants and front-line aviation workers.
Julie Hedrick, president of the Professional Flight Assistants Association, which represents American Airlines cabin crew, also applauded the move.
“As passengers travel on different airlines and through various airports, they deserve to have clear expectations about what the rules are. We thank President Biden for seeing it immediately,” he said in a statement.
All major U.S. airlines require travelers to wear masks on board, a policy that extends to airports. Airline executives say the vast majority of customers follow the rule, but have promised to take a hard line against those who refuse. Last week, airlines banned more than 2,500 people from flying for refusing to wear facials. The FAA noted that some rare cases have even become violent.
This month, the FAA warned that it will crack down on undisciplined behavior and passengers who do not follow the crew’s instructions, with a fine of up to $ 35,000.
Air travelers, including citizens, will also have to show a recent negative and negative Covid-19 result before flying to the United States from abroad, Biden ordered, reiterating a CDC policy revealed since last week. . This rule goes into effect on Tuesday.
Biden said travelers should be quarantined on arrival.