The U.S. Travel Association said the halt to enforcement of the federal mask mandate after a federal judge in Florida struck down the mandate “effectively returns the choice of mask usage on planes and other forms of public transportation to travelers and travel industry workers, a further step toward endemic management of Covid.” Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs and policy at U.S. Travel, said the organization continues to urge the administration to immediately end pre-departure testing for vaccinated inbound international passengers, which it says discourages travel and provides limited public health benefits. The White House said the court ruling means that for now the mask order “is not in effect at this time.” The ruling on Monday appeared to free travel providers to make their own decisions about mask requirements, with several airlines announcing they would drop mandates. United, American, Delta, Southwest and Alaska are among the carriers dropping the mandate. The Association of Flight Attendants recently took a neutral position on the mask rule because its members are divided about the issue. The union’s president has appealed for calm on planes and in airports.