U.S. extends airplane mask mandate through April 18

The Transportation Security Administration is extending a federal requirement that travelers wear masks on airplanes, at airports, on trains and buses through April 18, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

The mandate was set to expire on March 19.

An extension of the mandate comes as the Biden administration, cities and states have rolled back mask mandates and other pandemic policies elsewhere as Covid cases drop.

“At CDC’s recommendation, TSA will extend the security directive for mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs for one month, through April 18th,” the CDC said. “During that time, CDC will work with government agencies to help inform a revised policy framework for when, and under what circumstances, masks should be required in the public transportation corridor.”

The CDC said the new framework will be based on Covid cases, new variant risk “and the latest science.”

The TSA didn’t immediately comment.

The Biden administration ordered air, bus and rail travelers to wear masks, including at airports and train stations, shortly after the president took office in 2021. The government repeatedly extended it over the past year.

Airlines had issued their own requirements since spring 2020, when the pandemic began, but then-President Donald Trump didn’t issue a government mandate, which labor unions had pushed for.

Some 70% of reports of unruly airline passenger behavior over the past year has been tied to disputes over mask mandates, according to the FAA.