This week I took my first (and second) flights since the end of the mask mandate. As I mentioned last week when I first talked about it, different airports and governmental agencies have made different rules. Most airlines are no longer requiring masks, but some airports and other transit are still requiring masks while others are not. I don’t share the following observations as any sort of judgment one way or the other, but more of just a report so that others who are traveling can be aware of the situation and make their own decisions. Here is what I observed.
Masks not required at Cincinnati / CVG airport
Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG) dropped their mask mandate last week, so I was not expecting to see many masks in place at the airport when we got there. And that was the case for sure. There were a few people wearing masks – I would estimate about 20-25%. My daughter and I ended up not wearing masks for most of our journey through the airport but did wear masks as we sat in the boarding area.
Masks not required on Allegiant Airlines
Masks were not required on our Allegiant Airlines flight. Most of the flight attendants were not wearing masks, though one was. I would say that about 40-50% of passengers were wearing masks, including myself
I know that the filtration on the airplane makes it safer than most other places. It’s just something about being crammed in so tight with so many random people… :-). Though I was glad to have a mask on when the lady across the aisle from me started hacking, vomiting and then later escorted off the plane for a medical emergency.
Masks on NJ Transit and the NYC Subway
We landed in Newark (EWR) and took the best and cheapest way from Newark Airport (EWR) to Manhattan. Though I have taken the Air Train and NJ Transit train directly from the airport to New York Penn Station, this time we decided to try taking the 62 bus from the airport to Newark Penn Station ($1.60). I was planning on taking the PATH train from Newark Penn Station to Manhattan ($2.75) but realized that would take me into Lower Manhattan so instead we took an NJ Transit train to New York Penn Station. It was a little more ($5.25) but still eminently reasonable especially since kids travel free on the weekends.
Masks were still nominally required on all the transit options (at least according to the signs). Pretty much everyone was wearing a mask on the Route 62 NJ Transit Bus. When we swapped over to the train, I’d say about 20-30% were wearing masks, with a similar percentage on the NYC MTA subways.
Do I still need to wear a mask in New York?
In most places that I was at in New York, masks were not required and even in places where they were “required”, nobody cared or was wearing them. There were only 2 places where masks were required and enforced. The first was at the American Museum of Natural History. Masks were required, they had someone at the door checking them and pretty much 100% of the people in the museum were wearing masks. The second was at the Statue of Liberty.
(SEE ALSO: How to Buy Statue of Liberty Tickets (without getting SCAMMED))
When going through the security lines for the ferry to the Statue of Liberty, they had people checking masks and enforcing the wearing of them. Once you were on the ferry and on Liberty or Ellis Islands (even inside the museums, few people were wearing masks and nobody was enforcing anything. Everywhere else in New York, masks were not mentioned and few people were wearing them. Personally, we would generally wear our N95 masks when inside around a large group of people. Needless to say, even though I brought our vaccination cards, they were not checked once.
Masks at LaGuardia Airport in New York
Nominally, masks are still “required” at LaGuardia Airport (and JFK) based on guidance from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, but in practice very few people were wearing masks. I would estimate maybe 10-20% in the airport were wearing masks.
Masks not required on Delta Air Lines
Masks are no longer required on Delta Air Lines and, similar to our flight on Allegiant, about half of the passengers were wearing masks. One of the two flight attendants was wearing a mask and the other was not. We wore our N95 masks even though, again, I know about the HEPA air filtration on planes and how often the air gets cycled through.
If you’ve traveled recently, what has your experience been like? Leave it (respectfully!) in the comments
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
My husband and I are flying to Cancun Saturday and will be wearing masks in the airport, on the plane and inside the resort. We typically don’t wear them outside (away from crowds) but will mask up outside in congested areas.
Hahaha, nice try on trying to pump the mask usage. Reality is, on the flights I’ve taken the past week, is that it’s more like 80-90% are NOT wearing masks. You virtue signaling, mask loving bloggers really need to give it up. NOBODY CARES anymore. It’s OVER.
Yeah… The “pandemic” and masking are over. At this point, masking is either a security blanket or a political identity statement (or both).
What will be the catalyst to convince you to no longer wear a mask?
That’s an interesting question Phil and one I have thought about over the past few months. Generally speaking, I try to follow the science and the data. I will say that at least for me personally there is also a bit of an emotional bit to it as well. What I mean by that is that (at least for me), even when I know it’s not rational it is hard to change behavior that has been in place for 2+ years.
I understand science and data changes as we understand more. I believe current CDC guidance for vaccinated people in low risk counties (which is most of the US) is that there is no need to wear a mask in most places, but also “Masks are recommended in indoor public transportation settings”.
Again, personally, I have not been wearing a mask in most places. I feel more comfortable wearing a mask in crowded indoor places, especially when there are people from a lot of different locations. I also like wearing a mask if I’m in a situation where doing so would help someone else feel more comfortable. I don’t wear a mask at church, my kids don’t wear them when they go to school, and usually I don’t wear one in a store.
Hope that helps you understand where I’m coming from (assuming you were actually interested in my opinion and not just trying to score points off of me ;-D )
I’m flying this Monday and have been thinking about the mask aspect. The time I think I’m most likely to wear a mask is lining up to board (not much separation, unless things have changed), and being herded through the packed
and confined boarding bridge.
Everybody should go with what they’re comfortable with. I couldn’t care less about what others are thinking about my choice. Why do they even care?
Just got back from FL wore masks on both flights as well as in congested areas. Even in Uber vehicles despite the drivers being quick to say no mask was required.
On a 3-week trip to the West Coast ( SF and Seattle) wore masks everywhere except not outdoors or in groups where everyone tested in advance. Most other people did the same. After two weeks in the UK afterwards, where we wore N95 masks indoors but where all pretence of worrying about transmission was thrown to the wind by everyone, we came down with COVID with a week.
You mention that you chose to wear your N95 masks. But the masks you and the child are wearing in the airplane picture are not N95 masks, and may not provide as much protection as an N95 mask would provide for you.
You’re right, they’re not N95. They do, however, look like they’re KN95 which if the right size are about 97% as effective as N95 as the only difference is ear loops instead of head bands.
Don’t much care about the venom, interested in the science. Fauci recommends masks, I’m wearing a mask .
If you really want to be protected keep your mask on for the whole flight. Refuse drinks, snacks and meals.
Fauci’s over that now.
https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/fauci-ditches-white-house-event-over-covid-risk-then-gets-cozy-maskless-don-lemon
For those who are immunosuppressed or immunocompromised, 65 years old or older, or with a chronic health condition such as diabetes, heart disease or lung disease, the pandemic is far from over and face masks continue to be important whenever inside, particularly in crowded situations.
25.5% of US adults had multiple (≥2) diagnosed chronic conditions among 10 different conditions: arthritis (Arthritis isn’t just painful swelling of joints. Osteoarthritis is serious a disease and involves deterioration of bones and connective tissues, while rheumatoid arthritis involves the immune system attacking joints including the lining of joints.), cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), coronary heart disease, current asthma, diabetes, hepatitis, hypertension, stroke, and weak or failing kidneys.
In addition, almost 25% (24.8%) of the US population is 65 years old or older.
I think it’s safe to assume that more than a third of the population of the US would therefore greatly benefit from wearing a face mask indoors in public areas and in tight crowds anywhere even when fully vaccinated and boosted. That’s what the science says and the stats bear that out.
Thank you so much for sharing all this wonderful info. You always have good humor in your posts. So much fun and easy to read!