Airline CEOs Want The Biden Administration To Remove The "outdated" Mask Policy

(RTTNews) - The CEOs of major airlines in the US believe that the government should get rid of the mask mandates in the airports and planes. The chiefs believe that the country is beyond the requirement of masks as the threat of Covid has reduced.

In an open letter, sent to the Biden administration, published on Wednesday, the CEOs of American Airlines (AAL), Delta Airline(DAL), and United Airlines (UAL), and other major airline companies said, "Now is the time for the Administration to sunset federal transportation travel restrictions."

The administration extended its travel requirements for another 30 days this month which is to expire on April 18. The United States has been one of the worst-hit countries in the pandemic reporting the most number of cases and deaths. This has been reflected in the travel policies of the country. While the likes of the UK and France have dropped the requirement to test before boarding for the vaccinated individuals, the US is yet to normalize its procedures. The CEOs have argued that this has put the employees under continuous pressure.

"It is critical to recognize that the burden of enforcing both the mask and pre-departure testing requirements has fallen on our employees for two years now. 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 letter added.

The CEOs have also added that the attendants have to deal with a number of cases where individuals do not want to wear face masks which lead to altercations. The heads now believe that the mandate is "outdated" and "no longer make sense in the current public health context."

"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," concluded the letter. There have not been any comments from the administration on the subject.