Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 21, 2021) — President Biden is expected to issue an executive order today requiring masks for interstate travel, including aviation. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA International President Sara Nelson released the following statement:

“What a difference leadership makes! We welcome President Biden’s nationwide approach to crushing the virus and lifting us out of this pandemic. Today's executive action on a mask mandate for interstate travel, including airports and planes, will provide much needed back up for Flight Attendants and aviation workers on the frontlines. Masks are vitally important to the health of everyone onboard and an especially necessary safety measure in our workspace where proper social distancing is not an option.

"The Biden Administration is demonstrating in their first days that combatting COVID-19 is the priority and essential to our health and economic stability. We look forward to working with the President and his administration on a fulsome plan to address COVID health and safety in aviation including masks, testing, contact tracing, limit contact in onboard service, robust cleaning procedures, and more."

Background: AFA first called for an aviation mask mandate in an April 23, 2020 letter to then Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar.  

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