Gov. DeSantis hails court decision ending airline mask mandate

Gov. Ron DeSantis exulted Tuesday after a federal judge overturned the federal mask mandate for public transportation.

DeSantis, speaking at a press conference in The Villages, reiterated the state’s continued opposition to this and other “mandates.”

“We are very happy that finally we have judicial relief for that unscientific mask mandate on airplanes. They’ve treated these flight attendants horribly for so long, the passengers horribly. It’s caused huge problems with just behavior because it really messes with people,” DeSantis said, before pivoting to the jubilation felt by the newly mask-free.

“When they announced on those flights yesterday that the judge had ruled, I mean you saw some of these flight attendants were crying, they were so happy. People were so relieved,” DeSantis said, noting the state’s opposition was on record.

“We filed a suit against this right before it was supposed to expire and I think because Florida filed the suit, (President Joe) Biden extended it,” DeSantis contended, “just because he doesn’t want to give us a win. But by him extending it, it did allow this judge in Middle Florida to be able to rule.”

U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle ruled Monday against the ongoing federal mask requirement. Mizelle was an appointee of former President Donald Trump.

Masks weren’t solely required on planes and in airports. Similar rules applied to buses and taxi cabs. Yet DeSantis focused on air travel Tuesday, as he did previously when addressing the topic, which he has described as “COVID theater.”

“This is theater. This should not be extended. It should have never been done in the first place, but clearly now, this is a farce, and so they need to repeal the transportation mask mandate,” DeSantis said last month, reacting to the mandate being extended. “Let people fly and let them breathe normally.”