The CEOs of major US airlines are urging President Biden to drop his “outdated” federal mask requirements for planes and airports.
The chief executives of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and several other passenger and cargo carriers made the request in an open letter on Wednesday.
They have called on Biden to let his federal mask mandate expire next month and get rid of COVID-19 testing requirements for incoming international travelers.
“Now is the time for the Administration to sunset federal transportation travel restrictions,” the letter read.
Biden’s mask mandate for federal public transportation is due to expire April 18 after the administration last month extended it for an additional 30 days — even as COVID cases plummeted across the country.
CEOs of major US airlines have called on President Biden to let his federal mask mandate expire next month.Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
And despite countries like the UK and France dropped testing requirements for vaccinated travelers, the US still requires incoming international travelers to show proof of a negative COVID test prior to boarding their flight.
The airline bosses said they had “supported and cooperated” with the federal government’s measures throughout the pandemic — but the burden to enforce the “now-outdated regulations” fell on their employees.
“It is critical to recognize that the burden of enforcing both the mask and predeparture testing requirements has fallen on our employees for two years now,” the letter said. “This is not a function they are trained to perform and subjects them to daily challenges by frustrated customers. This in turn takes a toll on their own well-being.”
The CEOs said much had changed since the measures were introduced.Joe Raedle/Getty Images
There have been dozens of instances throughout the pandemic of flight crews having to apprehend unruly passengers who have refused to wear face coverings on flights.
The CEOs said much had changed since the measures were introduced early in the pandemic and “they no longer make sense in the current public health context.”
“The persistent and steady decline of hospitalization and death rates are the most compelling indicators that our country is well protected against severe disease from COVID-19,” the letter said.
President Biden’s mask mandate for federal public transportation is due to expire April 18.Drew Angerer/Getty Images
“Given that we have entered a different phase of dealing with this virus, we strongly support your view that “’COVID-19 need no longer control our lives.’”
They added: “We are encouraged by the current data and the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions from coast to coast, which indicate it is past time to eliminate COVID-era transportation policies.”
The White House has not yet responded to the letter.
The US still requires incoming international travelers to show proof of a negative COVID test.Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The letter was signed by the CEOs of Alaska Air Group, American Airlines, Atlas Air Worldwide, Aviation FedEx Express, Hawaiian Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, UPS Airlines and Airlines for America.