Delta Air Lines said on Wednesday (April 20) it plans to restore flight privileges to roughly 2,000 customers who were banned from flights after failing to comply with mask mandates.
However, Delta said it will restore passengers “only after each case is reviewed and each customer demonstrates an understanding of their expected behavior when flying with us. Any further disregard for the policies that keep us all safe will result in placement on Delta’s permanent no-fly list.”
The change will not impact Delta’s separate list of about 1,000 people “who demonstrated egregious behavior and are already on the permanent no-fly list.”
Delta also warned the 2,000 banned passengers that “any further disregard for the policies that keep us all safe will result in placement on Delta’s permanent no-fly list.” The airline has urged the Justice Department to back a federal permanent no-fly list for those who exhibit egregious or violent behavior.
Delta’s announcement follows a similar decision by United Airlines on Tuesday (April 19) to allow some of the some 1,000 people banned for not wearing masks to return to flights on a “case by case basis.” United said those people would be allowed to return to flights “after ensuring their commitment to follow all crewmember instructions on board.”
The Justice Department said Wednesday it plans to appeal the order that forced the government to halt enforcement of the mask mandate.
