Commercial Airline Pilots Sue CDC Over Federal Transportation Mask Mandate

A group of commercial airline pilots filed a lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in effort to remove the federal transportation mask mandate.

10 pilots representing American, JetBlue, and Southwest argued that the CDC  issued an order “Requirement for Persons to Wear Masks While on Conveyances & at Transportation Hubs” on Feb. 1, 2020 “without providing public notice or soliciting comment.”

The pilots have asked the court to “vacate worldwide the FTMM (federal transportation mask mandate)” calling the move an “illegal and unconstitutional exercise of executive authority.”

I knew change was afoot when multiple flight attendants removed their masks mid-flight for selfies with Rand last week. People are waking up! https://t.co/qocryabrN7

— Kelley Paul (@KelleyAshbyPaul) March 17, 2022

#America's fight continues to remove the muzzle
JetBlue, American, Southwest pilots sue CDC over federal mask mandate
https://t.co/mOO6CgxrlH

— Jefferey Jaxen (@JeffereyJaxen) March 17, 2022

Fox Business reported:

The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) mask mandate went into effect on Feb. 1, 2021, and was originally set to expire on May 11, 2021. However, the TSA has extended the mandate several times since then as infections rose nationwide. The rule now remains in place through April 18.

Until then, the “CDC will work with government agencies to help inform a revised policy framework for when, and under what circumstances, masks should be required in the public transportation corridor,” TSA said in a statement earlier this month. “This revised framework will be based on the COVID-19 community levels, risk of new variants, national data, and the latest science.”

However, the pilots claim that federal officials adopted the policy despite “countless scientific and medical studies and articles showing that face masks are totally ineffective.”

Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate voted 57-40 to remove the federal transportation mask mandate.

U.S. Senate Passes Bill to END Public Transportation Mask Mandate

The pilots have said they’ve experienced the chaos in the skies caused by the unscientific, idiotic mask mandate that does nothing to prevent viral spread.

The FAA has received hundreds of reports this year of ‘unruly passengers,’ with over 50% of cases related to the mask mandate.

To limit mask-related incidences, the FAA has proposed fines against passengers who assault, threaten, intimidate or interfere with airline crew members as part of its zero-tolerance policy.

However, the pilots say the policy was “rushed into place only 12 days after the inauguration” and that the CDC and HHS “illegally failed to give passengers and employees our legally guaranteed option under the Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act (‘FDCA’) to refuse to use a medical device (face mask) not approved by HHS’ Food & Drug Administration (‘FDA’) or allowed only under an Emergency Use Authorization (‘EUA’).”

AND PEOPLE WHO GOT KICKED OFF FOR REFUSING TO WEAR A MASK OR PROVE THEY WERE VAXED…DO THEY GET TO SUE?https://t.co/fHkssqh5zx

— Linda BorgmierNorris (@816Elle) March 17, 2022

If the pilots succeed with their lawsuit, I wonder if passengers banned from flying due to mask non-compliance can sue the airline companies.