TSA Extends Mask Mandate On Planes, Public Transportation: Report

WASHINGTON, DC — A mandate requiring masks on airplanes and public transportation in the United States has been extended to April 18, according to an NBC News report citing federal officials.

The mandate enforced by the Transportation Security Administration was set to expire on March 18.

The mandate, extended twice since it was first implemented in January 2021, requires masks to be worn by all travelers on airplanes, ships, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares and at transportation hubs such as airports, bus or ferry terminals, train and subway stations, and seaports.

Last month, airlines and travel groups called on the Biden administration to "repeal the Federal mask mandate for public transportation" by March 18 or "provide a clear roadmap to remove the mask mandate within 90 days," according to a Reuters report.

The decision to extend the mandate also goes against recently-changed guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which in February relaxed its mask guidance, allowing most people to ditch face coverings as long as COVID-19 hospitalizations in their communities remain low.

Masks have sparked contention and, at times, violence among airline passengers and staff. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, 2021 was the worst on record for unruly airplane passenger behavior in the United States.

As of Dec. 31, the FAA had recorded 5,981 reports of unruly passengers. Of those, 4,290 were mask-related incidents.

The trend is continuing into 2022, according to FAA data. Since Jan. 1, the FAA has recorded 814 reports of unruly passengers, 535 of which were mask-related.