Mask rule for planes and trains still up in the air

By DAVID KOENIG
AP Airlines Writer

DALLAS (AP) — How much longer will airline travelers and subway riders have to wear face masks? The Biden administration is facing that decision in the next few days. The federal mandate to wear a mask on planes and public transportation is due to expire April 18. It’s been extended several times before, but pressure is growing from the airline industry and others to do away with it now. Critics note that states have eliminated many pandemic-related rules for masks and social distancing, and yet COVID-19 cases are down sharply from January. Defenders of the mask mandate say it’s still needed to protect seniors and people with compromised immune systems.