Under President Joe Biden’s latest executive order on COVID-19 safety, travelers who don’t wear a mask in airports, aboard planes, or in bus or train stations can be fined $250 for the first offense and up to $1,500 for a repeat offense.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the TSA has given permission to its agents to enforce the fines, and flight attendants, bus drivers all now have the right to report mask-less violators to the agency and impose lesser or greater fines.
Biden signed the order on Jan. 23 requiring masks be worn in compliance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines list the mask requirements as:
1. A properly worn mask completely covers the nose and mouth.
2. Cloth masks should be made with two or more layers of a breathable fabric that is tightly woven (i.e., fabrics that do not let light pass through when held up to a light source).
3. Mask should be secured to the head with ties, ear loops, or elastic bands that go behind the head. If gaiters are worn, they should have two layers of fabric or be folded to make two layers.
4. Mask should fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face.
5. Mask should be a solid piece of material without slits, exhalation valves, or punctures.
In May airlines began requiring passengers to wear masks, but the Trump administration neglected to impose federal regulations or fines.
No-fly lists have swelled to more than 3,000 people since several airlines have imposed mask mandates.