Do you need to wear a mask at Fresno airport, aboard FAX buses? Here are the new rules
For two years, face masks have been a mandatory measure to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 on commercial airliners, aboard buses and trains, and in airports and bus and train stations.
But a ruling Monday by a federal judge in Florida has struck down a federal mask mandate on forms of public transportation, and on Tuesday Fresno’s airport and Fresno City Hall announced that masks will no longer be required at Fresno Yosemite International Airport or on the city’s FAX buses.
Amtrak has also done away with its mask requirement aboard its trains, including the state-supported San Joaquin trains that run daily from Bakersfield through Fresno to either Sacramento or Oakland.
Additionally, Fresno airport officials announced Tuesday on Twitter that the Transportation Security Administration – the agency that operates security checkpoints at U.S. airports – “will no longer enforce its security directives and emergency amendment requiring mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs.”
While the mask mandate is over, airport and city officials noted that people may continue to wear face coverings if they wish. The city’s Twitter account included a post Tuesday that wearing a mask is “still strongly encouraged when visiting our @iflyfresno airport or riding our @FresnoFAX buses.”
Airlines serving Fresno Yosemite International Airport were quick to let their customers know that the masks were no longer required but optional for passengers.
“Face masks have been like boarding passes for nearly two years — you couldn’t fly without one,” Alaska Airlines posted on its website. “But, as of today, masks are optional onboard Alaska Airlines flights within the United States.”
On its Twitter account, United Airlines echoed the dropping of the mask mandate for domestic flights or in U.S. airports. “More comfortable keeping yours on? Go right ahead,” the airline added.
Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines also dropped their mask requirements. “You’re always welcome to wear a mask while traveling if you prefer to,” Southwest Airlines stated on its website. “If you need one at the airport or onboard, we’ll have them ready.”
Airlines cautioned that masks may still be required on some international flights.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which last week had extended its transportation mask mandate, said it is no longer enforcing its order as a result of the judge’s ruling. The agency added, however, that it “continues to recommend that people wear masks in indoor public transportation settings at this time.”
This story was originally published April 19, 2022 at 6:46 PM.
