Poll: Less than One-Quarter of Americans Say Federal Government Should Set Rules for Mask-Wearing on Planes

Less than a quarter of Americans believe the federal government should set rules for mask-wearing on planes, an RMG Research/Scott Rasmussen survey released this week found.

The Scott Rasmussen National Survey, taken April 21-23, 2022, among 1,200 registered voters, asked respondents who they believe should be in charge of making mask rules for travelers.

A plurality, 46 percent, said individuals should make that choice and “decide for themselves whether or not to wear masks on planes.” Just over a quarter, 26 percent, said each individual airline should make that determination. Just 23 percent, however, expressed the belief that the federal government “should set rules for wearing masks on planes.” Another six percent remain unsure. 

Overall, 61 percent said the absence of mask rules will generally make passengers enjoy their flights more, and a plurality, 48 percent, said it is time to allow mask mandates to expire, compared to 37 percent who said the government should appeal the federal judge’s ruling, freeing Americans from the burden of forced masking. 

The survey’s margin of error is +/- 2.8 percent and comes as the Biden administration appeals United States District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle’s ruling nixing the federal mask mandate.

She concluded that the mandate “exceeded the CDC statutory authority, improperly invoked the good cause exception to notice and comment rulemaking, and failed to adequately explain its decisions.”

“Because our system does not permit agencies to act unlawfully even in the pursuit of desirable ends, the court declares unlawful and vacates the mask mandate,” the Trump-appointee wrote in part.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), however, asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to appeal the ruling, contending that “an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health.”

However, for the time being, U.S. travelers are free from the burden of forced masking, as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is not enforcing Biden’s rule, and major airlines have lifted the mask rules, making it optional.