Faces show relief, confusion and disappointment as masks come off on planes

The Biden administration’s transportation mask mandate was one of the most divisive policies of the Covid pandemic. Its sudden end this week has been just as contentious. A federal judge in Florida on Monday struck down the mandate, which for more than a year required that travelers in the U.S. wear masks on planes, trains and other shared modes of public transportation, as well as at airports and rail and bus stations, in an effort to help slow the spread of Covid-19. The rule was due to expire after May 3, though the Biden administration said it plans to appeal this week’s court ruling if the CDC deems masks still necessary on public transportation. Still, the abrupt reversal stemming from Monday’s decision threw travelers, airlines and crews into a gray area. The TSA said it would no longer enforce the rule and airlines quickly said face masks would be optional, effective immediately. Some pilots announced the decision midflight, to applause. Some airports and public transportation systems such as those in New York and Philadelphia will still require masks even though they wouldn’t be required to do so by airlines or the federal government. In the two days since the ruling, views are varied on whether the change is a good or a bad thing.<br/>