Travelers' Alert: Masks Still Required At Seattle Airport

As of April 2022, masks are no longer required at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also known as Sea-Tac Airport. This decision was made after a federal judge in Florida struck down the CDC directive regarding mask mandates for travel. While masks are no longer mandatory, airlines, airports, and transportation companies can still require masks at their discretion, and travellers can continue to wear masks if they wish.

Masks were made mandatory at Sea-Tac Airport in May 2020

In May 2020, masks were made mandatory at Sea-Tac Airport, officially known as the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). This mandate was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), making it a federal law to wear masks at US airports. The Port of Seattle also encouraged its employees to wear face coverings, and all federal agencies operating at the airport required their employees to do the same.

The Port of Seattle introduced the FlyHealthy@SEA program, which took a multi-layered approach to support the health and well-being of passengers and airport workers. This included requiring employees and passengers to wear face masks, enhancing cleaning and disinfecting procedures, enabling physical distancing, providing on-site testing, and deploying touchless technologies.

To ensure compliance with the mask mandate, the Port of Seattle launched the Mask Up SEA campaign, which provided notifications and reminders about the masking requirements. As part of this campaign, the Mask Up SEA Cart was introduced to offer educational and friendly interactions with travellers regarding the importance of wearing masks. During this time, over 38,000 free masks were distributed at SEA. For those who repeatedly failed to comply with the mandate, citations were issued, and individuals could be removed from the premises.

The mask mandate at Sea-Tac Airport was part of a broader effort to enhance health and safety measures at airports across the United States. This federal mandate reinforced the importance of wearing masks in public spaces, especially in crowded and highly trafficked areas like airports.

The TSA stopped enforcing the mask mandate in April 2022

As of April 2022, the TSA stopped enforcing the federal mask mandate for transportation. This was after a federal judge in Florida struck down a CDC directive regarding mask mandates for travel, which included travel by air, rail, or rideshare.

Following this ruling, officials at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas announced that masks were no longer required in US transportation hubs, including airports.

Prior to this, the TSA had extended the face mask requirement for individuals across all transportation networks throughout the United States several times. The TSA first announced the initial face mask requirement in January 2021, with an expiration date of May 11. This was then extended through September 13, 2021, and later through March 18, 2022, at the recommendation of the CDC.

On March 10, 2022, the TSA further extended the security directive for mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs through April 18, stating that during this time, the CDC would work with government agencies to help inform a revised policy framework.

On April 13, 2022, the TSA once again extended the mask requirement through May 3, 2022, at the CDC's recommendation. This was due to increases in the 7-day moving average of COVID-19 cases in the United States since early April 2022.

While the TSA no longer requires masks in transportation hubs, individual airlines, airports, and transportation companies have the discretion to require masks.

Face masks have been required at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) since May 2020, and it is unclear whether this mandate is still in place following the TSA's decision to stop enforcing the federal mask mandate. However, as of April 2022, some travellers have reported that mask usage at Sea-Tac is low, with estimates ranging from less than 10% to 50%.

Airlines can still require masks at their discretion

As of April 2022, masks are no longer required at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) following a federal judge's ruling that struck down the CDC directive regarding mask mandates for travel. However, airlines, airports, and transportation companies can still require masks at their discretion.

Sea-Tac previously had a mask mandate in place since May 2020, with the Port of Seattle welcoming the CDC and TSA guidance that made it federal law to wear masks at U.S. airports. The Port of Seattle also offered free masks to anyone who needed one and implemented the FlyHealthy@SEA program, which included requiring employees and passengers to wear face masks, enhancing cleaning and disinfecting measures, making physical distancing possible, providing space for on-site testing, and deploying touchless technologies.

While the TSA is no longer enforcing the mask mandate on public transportation and at transportation hubs, individual airlines may still choose to require masks on their flights. For example, Delta, United, and Alaska Airlines initially barred passengers from putting guns in checked bags when flying to Washington in January 2021. Therefore, it is important to check with your specific airline before travelling to determine their current mask requirements.

Additionally, some individuals may choose to continue wearing masks at airports and on flights, even if not mandated, for their own health and safety. This is a personal choice that should be respected by others. Ultimately, the decision to wear a mask or not rests with the individual airlines and their passengers, with the TSA no longer enforcing a federal mandate.

Sea-Tac Airport has a Mask Up SEA campaign to encourage mask-wearing

The FlyHealthy@SEA programme takes a multi-layered approach to support the health and well-being of passengers and airport workers. This includes requiring employees and passengers to wear face masks, escalating cleaning and disinfecting, making physical distancing possible, providing space for on-site testing, and deploying touchless technologies.

The Port of Seattle looks forward to working with the federal government to continue developing new protocols and mandates that increase the safety of the air travel experience.

As of April 2022, travellers are no longer required to wear masks at Sea-Tac Airport, although some airlines may still require masks on planes.

The FlyHealthy@SEA program takes a multi-layered approach to support the health and well-being of passengers and airport workers

The Port of Seattle is committed to working with the federal government to develop new protocols and mandates that further enhance the safety of the air travel experience. They have also offered free masks to anyone who needs one and provided educational and friendly interactions regarding the masking requirements. The Port aims to create a safe and healthy environment for all individuals at the airport through these comprehensive initiatives.

While the FlyHealthy@SEA program initially required masks, as of April 2022, masks are no longer mandatory at Sea-Tac Airport. However, individual airlines may still require masks on their planes. It is recommended to check with your airline before travelling to ensure compliance with their specific requirements.

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