All bark, no flight.
The federal mask mandate on airline travel has generated viral dust-ups caught on cellphone cameras and stern warnings from officials that mask violators “face heavy fines and jail time.”
But infractions rarely result in punishment for offenders, FAA data show.
The FAA reported 5,891 unruly passengers in 2021, with 4,290 (72%) of them for mask-related incidents.
The FAA proposed fines for only 350 of the nearly 6,000 volatile travelers in 2021, There is then a gauntlet of administrative processes and appeals before an offender would even see a judge, an FAA official said.
Cooling tension in the air caused by the toothless TSA mandate is one reason the travel order is destined to be grounded sooner rather than later — with the support of several major airline executives, industry experts told The Post.
“I’d be super shocked if we’re wearing masks on airlines this summer,” airline industry analyst Bryan Del Monte told The Post. “I have no doubt they are looking at it right now.”
“They’re looking at ways to turn down the acrimony [on flights]. The first thing they can do would be getting rid of the mask mandate.”
The mask mandate could end as early as March 18, when the current TSA order is set to expire. But it’s been extended repeatedly since air travel returned early in the pandemic, including twice in 2021 and again in January to the current deadline.
Several airline executives, whose employees have borne the brunt of the midair mask battles, have spoken out publicly against the mandate
“I think the case is very strong that masks don’t add much, if anything, to the air cabin environment,” Southwest Airlines chairman Gary Kelly told Congress in December. “It is very safe and very high-quality compared to any other indoor setting.”
“An aircraft is the safest place you can be,” added American Airlines head Doug Parker.
