US government asks court to reverse ban on airplane mask mandates

The Justice Department in the US has asked an appeals court panel to reverse a ruling that declared mask mandates unlawful on planes, buses, trains and in other transport hubs or services.

The ruling was made by a district court judge in Florida in April 2021 and means people cannot be mandated to wear a mask when using transportation services or when in transport hubs, such as airports or train stations.

According to the ruling, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not have the legal authority to issue a nationwide travel mask mandate, even if it was a matter of health and safety.

On Tuesday, the government made an appeal of this running to a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The CDC was allegedly blocked from issuing a federal transportation mask mandate in 2020 by the Trump administration but issued one in January 2021 just days after Joe Biden became president.

The CDC issued the sweeping mask mandate in January 2021, days after Joe Biden became president.

Issues with the mandate tended to focus on how the CDC did not confer with the public before making a decision. However, Justice Department lawyer Brian Springer said this was not necessary given the severity of Covid-19.

Spring argued setting mask requirements without asking for public feedback was necessary “to prevent the possible infections and deaths that could result if people didn’t do the simple thing of just putting on a mask while they were travelling.”

Brant Hadaway, a lawyer who represents five individuals who challenged the mandate by suing, claimed the CDC did not seek a stay of the district court’s ruling last year. In other words, the CDC did not attempt to halt or challenge the ruling.

Hadaway told the court that, if the CDC had believed the matter was “life and death” they would have sought a faster ruling.

Meanwhile, in Europe, the European Union has recommended face masks for people flying to from China to its member countries. This is due to the major Covid-19 outbreak in China following the end of its zero-Covid policy.

Around the world, most countries have dropped mask mandates, at least for transport such as aeroplanes, buses, trains, rideshares and taxis.