Following the news earlier this week (hyperlink) that a federal judge in Florida voided the national mask mandate covering airplanes and other public transportation as exceeding the authority of U.S. health officials in the coronavirus pandemic, several airports and major airlines across the country followed suit, that included the Kenai Municipal Airport, Ravn Alaska, and Alaska Airlines.
Now, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities reports that face masks are now optional on AMHS vessels and in terminal buildings. The recent federal court order ended the U.S. Department of Transportation mask requirement for public transportation.
AK DOT&PF reports that AMHS staff and passengers may continue to wear masks, and the CDC continues to recommend that people mask up in indoor public transportation settings.
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees 237 airports, 10 ferries serving 33 communities along 3,500 marine miles, over 5,600 miles of highway and 839 public facilities throughout the state of Alaska. The mission of the department is to “Keep Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure.”
Click here for more information on the AMHS.