The TSA mask mandate that initially went into effect in early 2021 has been extended several times. Its latest expiration date was March 18, 2022. However, the TSA announced a 30-day extension on March 10th. As a result, the mandate expires on April 18, 2022, if it doesn't receive another extension.
After two years, many in the airline lobby are calling for mask mandates to end and for public travel to return to its pre-pandemic norm. Another push is ending international travel Covid testing protocols.
Resistance to the use of the mask in flight
The industry and unions: the mask mandate has not put an end to inflight resistance by some passengers, with frequent high-profile incidents causing flights to be delayed and diverted and passengers to be escorted off plans.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA has repeatedly called for a centralized list of passengers who may not fly for a period of time after being fined or convicted of a serious incident and Delta CEO Ed Bastian made a similar call last month.
"This is not about 'masks,' and the worst attacks have nothing to do with masks," AFA president Sara Nelson said in a statement in February. "You're either for protecting crew and passengers from these attacks or you're against. We need clear and consistent rules with strict consequences for those who cannot respect our collective efforts to keep everyone safe - in the air and on the ground. We urge the FAA, TSA, and DOJ to come together to implement a plan with due process to keep dangerous flyers on the ground."
Airline mask requirement 2020 - 2022
April 2020: United, Frontier add mask requirement for flight attendants and others soon follow.
May 2020: JetBlue Airways becomes first U.S. airline to require masks for passengers, a policy quickly matched by other airlines.
Jan. 2021: President Joe Biden announces federal mask mandate for travel with an initial expiration date of May 11. Airlines, unions and consumer advocates had called for a mandate since the early months of the coronavirus pandemic but found no support from President Donald Trump's administration .
April 2021: Mandate is extended through Sept. 13.
August 2021: Mandate is extended through Jan. 18 due to the Delta variant.
Dec 2021: Mandate is extended through March 18 due to the omicron variant.
March 2022: Mandate is extended through April 18. TSA
