airlines

Mayor Jerry Demings says rolling back the testing requirement is good news for the local economy, especially the hospitality sector.

DOJ spokesperson Anthony Coley says a notice of appeal had been filed in light of the determination by the CDC that wearing a mask "remains necessary to protect the public health."

TSA says it will no longer enforce the mandate after a Tampa-based judge's ruling. It didn't take long for major airlines to switch to a mask-optional policy, with some passengers cheering when the change was announced midfight.

The lawsuit contends, in part, the CDC overstepped its legal authority in requiring masks for travelers while violating states’ “quasi-sovereign interests in the health, safety, and welfare of their citizens."

The monthlong extension comes as the CDC said it would work on a "revised policy framework for when, and under what circumstances, masks should be required in the public transportation corridor."

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president's chief science adviser on pandemic response, says such a requirement might drive up the lagging U.S. vaccination rate as well as confer stronger protection on flights.

The airline says 99% of its U.S. workforce has either gotten the shots or applied for religious or medical exemptions, while fewer than 600 employees will be fired for refusing to comply.

Biden says, "If you break the rules, be prepared to pay." He calls the harassment aimed at airline employees over masks "wrong" and "ugly."

The guidance is nonbinding, and U.S. travelers should expect a mishmash of travel rules across the continent.

Delta will not mandate employees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, but its CEO says the charge is necessary because the average hospital stay for the virus costs the airline $40,000.