NewsCoronavirus

Actions

TSA to extend mask mandate for planes and public transportation until April 18, reports say

COVID-19 masks airport
Posted
and last updated

The Transportation Security Administration will extend a rule that requires travelers to wear masks on planes to prevent the spread of COVID-19 until April 18, NBC News and Bloomberg report.

The mask mandate was slated to expire on March 18.

The reports come as many states roll back COVID-19 restrictions and mask mandates as case rates and hospitalizations plummet.

Last month, a union representing thousands of flight attendants said they expected the TSA to extend the mask mandate. Their statement noted that masks would help protect children younger than five — who currently are not eligible for vaccination — and immunocompromised flight attendants.

President Joe Biden imposed the federal mask mandate on airplanes upon taking office in 2021. Since then, the TSA has reported a disturbing spike in unruly passenger incidents, many of them linked to travelers' refusal to wear masks.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Sunday

03/29/2026

Sunny

88° / 60°

0%

Monday

03/30/2026

Mostly Cloudy

88° / 62°

0%

Tuesday

03/31/2026

PM Showers

72° / 56°

45%

Wednesday

04/01/2026

Mostly Sunny

75° / 53°

12%

Thursday

04/02/2026

Partly Cloudy

70° / 46°

24%

Friday

04/03/2026

Mostly Sunny

73° / 50°

2%

Saturday

04/04/2026

Sunny

83° / 53°

0%

Sunday

04/05/2026

Sunny

87° / 57°

0%