(NewsNation) — A federal judge’s ruling that voided the federal mask mandate on planes had a ripple effect on air travelers but impacted no one more than those on the front lines.
“A lot of people have been waiting for this day,” Ashon Thompson, a flight attendant for a major commercial airline, said during an appearance on “Morning in America”. “I knew it was going to be time to come eventually.”
“Mostly everyone has completely just dropped them off like they were never there,” he said.
According to Thompson, it’s been a long time coming, as requesting passengers to wear their masks brought “a lot of stress” for flight attendants.
“Just seeing people walking through the airports and just telling them to wear their masks causes issues,” he said.
At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendation, the mask mandate was extended several times before being lifted.
“Everybody’s like, super, super relieved,” he said. “And, you know, they’re enjoying this time. Who knows what could come in the future. So as of right now, it’s like, let’s enjoy what we can.”
The mask mandate seemed counterintuitive to some passengers, and some outright did not agree with the mandate.
“You have to just put your foot down,” Thompson said in dealing with travelers with issues wearing masks. “You’re basically the face of whatever company you’re working for.”
Delta Air Lines said it plans to restore flight privileges to about 2,000 customers who were barred from flights after failing to comply with mask rules.
“Well, you know, it’s a lot of mixed emotions when it comes to, you violators,” Thompson said. “Because the situations just can differ from just a little argument to going into actual violence, physical violence.”
The Justice Department is appealing the ruling that voided the federal mask mandate on planes and the CDC continues to recommend that people mask up indoors while traveling.
But for now, Thompson said it’s mostly seniors who are still “a little bit skeptical” and “still wear theirs.”
Watch the full interview with Ashon Thompson in the video player at the top of the page.