Houston Airports, METRO Drop Mask Requirements

HOUSTON, TX — Houston airports and public transportation are no longer requiring travelers and employees to wear masks.

George H.W. Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport made separate announcements Monday night, and METRO Houston announced its policy change midday Tuesday.

The decisions come a day after a federal judge overturned a federal travel mask mandate that has been in effect since early 2021. The changes take effect immediately.

METRO is removing mask requirement signs and messaging and anticipates that process will take 24 to 48 hours.

In the meantime, "operators and [METRO police] officers are being instructed to no longer require masks, effective immediately," METRO said in its statement.

Both airports urged travelers to check with their airlines on mask requirements for their flights.

Florida federal Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said in the 59-page decision striking down the travel mask mandate that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both exceeded its legal authority and failed to go through proper channels to put the rule in place.

As a result, the CDC late Monday said its order requiring masks on public transportation "is no longer in effect" and the agency will not enforce it. However, the CDC said it "continues to recommend that people wear masks in indoor public transportation settings at this time."

The Transportation Security Administration is no longer requiring masks on planes or in the nation's airports. One by one, most of the nation's major airlines dropped mask requirements following the court ruling, making the face coverings optional for employees and passengers.

It's unclear if the Biden administration will appeal the decision. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Monday that Mizelle's decision was "disappointing," and the administration's response is still under review and the "Department of Justice would make any determination about litigation."