US judge strikes down Biden mask mandate for planes and trains

The Florida judge's ruling appeared to free operators to retain or discard masking policies, leading to confusion

A federal judge in Florida has struck down Joe Biden's national mask mandate covering airplanes, airports and other public transportation, prompting the White House to announce the rule would not be enforced while federal agencies decide how to respond to the judge's order.

The ruling appeared to free operators to make their own decisions about mask requirements, with several airlines announcing they would drop mandates, but other transport networks including the New York City subway planning to keep them in place.