The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), the nation’s largest flight attendants’ union, says it expects the Biden administration will continue to extend its mask mandate for air travel beyond the current March 18 deadline.
The association, representing 50,000 workers, shared the news in a statement with Bloomberg.
“We have every expectation that the mask mandate will be extended for the near term,” the AFA said in a statement to Bloomberg.
“The conditions in aviation are the same. Our youngest passengers do not yet have access to the vaccine,” the statement added.
“It’s unclear when a decision about the federal mask requirement will be announced. The prior extensions were announced a few weeks ahead of the expiration date. The current deadline of March 18 falls during spring break for many schools and universities across the U.S., and a change in policy then could cause confusion or disruption during the historically busy travel period,” the Bloomberg report observed.
On Tuesday, a TSA spokeswoman noted there has not yet been an announcement to further extend the mask mandate.
“If there is a change to halt or extend the mask requirement, we will make an announcement,” she said in an email, according to The New York Times. “As of now, nothing new to share.”
Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit last week against the Biden administration regarding its mask mandate for airports and airlines, claiming it’s time to “strike down” the requirements. The Daily Wire previously reported:
Paxton filed the lawsuit alongside the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) on behalf of Republican Rep. Beth Van Duyne. The case was filed against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Director Rochelle Walensky, Chief of Staff Sherri Berger, and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
“Biden’s repeated disregard of the individual liberties of Texans is not only disrespectful to the U.S. Constitution, it is also troublesome that any president thinks they can act above the law while hardworking Americans standby,” Paxton said in a statement.
“President Biden cannot continue governing through executive edicts. Now is the time to strike down his administration’s air-travel mask mandate. I’m proud to stand alongside my friend Congresswoman Van Duyne and her counsel at TPPF to protect Texans’ liberty and the rule of law,” he added.
Just filed my 22nd suit against Biden, this time regarding anti-science, virtue-signaling masks on airlines & airports. Masks on planes are not only silly, but illegal too. Proud to join @TPPF, @robhenneke, @Bethvanduyne in restraining Dems’ lawless gov’t. End the mask mandates!
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) February 16, 2022
In December, Dr. Anthony Fauci was asked whether he believed there would be a point when Americans do not need to wear masks on airplanes.
“I don’t think so,” he replied at the time.
ANCHOR: "Are we gonna get to the point where we won't have to wear masks on airplanes?"
Fauci: "I don't think so" pic.twitter.com/Mb1IShugqJ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 19, 2021
The interview followed a December report by two airline CEOs pushing back on mask requirements.
“I think the case is very strong that masks don’t add much, if anything, in the air cabin environment. It is very safe and very high quality compared to any other indoor setting,” then-Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said, according to a CNN report.
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