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Home » Delta Air Lines » Delta CEO And LAX Officials “Caught” Without Masks. Seriously?
Delta Air LinesLos Angeles LAX

Delta CEO And LAX Officials “Caught” Without Masks. Seriously?

Matthew Klint Posted onMarch 30, 2022November 14, 2023 25 Comments

My friend Gary Leff of View From The Wing indicted Los Angeles officials and Delta CEO Ed Bastian for not wearing a mask at a dedication for the new Delta terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. First, I don’t even think that is clearly-established outside of a few brief moments. Second, even if that were the case, I read some wiggle room in the mandate for certain airport facilities and for public speeches.

Mask For Thee, But Not For Me? Were LAX Officials And Delta CEO Violating Federal Mask Rules? I Don’t Think So…

Los Angeles International Airport is my home airport and Delta Air Lines has invested millions of dollars in its Terminal 2 & 3 project which will greatly modernize that space, helping push LAX toward world class status ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.

Yesterday, a ribbon cutting event was held to mark the progress has been made. In attendance was Delta CEO Ed Bastian and Los Angeles officials including Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAX CEO Justin Erabacci.

Gary complains that Bastian, Garcetti, and Erabacci were not properly masked, standing in stark contrast to the well-masked audience.

But there was something striking about the event. The audience was well-masked, per federal regulations. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Delta CEO Ed Bastian? Not so much.

As evidence, he includes a video of Garcetti speaking without a mask:

.@MayorOfLA paying recognition to several of the local workers who helped build this beautiful new headhouse for Terminals 2/3 @Delta #transformingLAX pic.twitter.com/BqNWn5GvRA

— LAX Airport (@flyLAXairport) March 29, 2022

And Erabacci without a mask:

Los Angeles World Airports CEO Justin Erbacci speaks about how this new @Delta facility combines beauty, innovation and sustainability. It is just another step toward a reimagined LAX. #transformingLAX pic.twitter.com/jjWBw3D5Xm

— LAX Airport (@flyLAXairport) March 29, 2022

And Bastian pictured at the actual ribbon-cutting without a mask.

a group of people in suits and ties cutting a ribbon

But if you look more closely, you see that Bastian had a mask on while the mayor was speaking:

a man standing at a podium with a person wearing a mask

And the mayor had a mask on while Erabacci was speaking:

a man standing at a podium with a microphone

And the mayor and Erabacci had a mask on while Bastian was speaking:

a man in a suit speaking at a podium with a crowd of people

So what’s the problem? That they took off the mask briefly for a photo? The mask was removed to speak? I don’t think they violated the spirit of the mandate. In fact, they may not have even violated the mandate at all.

The mask directive does not apply if the airport area is “under the control of an aircraft operator.” Might that have applied here and actually made masks optional?

Furthermore, the mandate does not require a mask “while communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, when the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.” We don’t know if someone who lip reads was in the audience, but it’s reasonable to think there may have been at least one in a crowd that size.

I agree wholeheartedly with Gary’s concerns over hypocrisy…especially in what will hopefully be the final days of the transportation mask mandate. We’ve certainly seen a lot of hypocrisy during the pandemic. I just don’t think there was any on display here…

CONCLUSION

The Delta CEO and Los Angeles officials did not wear masks while speaking at LAX Airport or while taking a group photo. I don’t believe they violated the mask mandate and find the outrage very misplaced.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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25 Comments

  1. Aaron Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 12:50 pm

    It’s okay because covid can’t get you when you’re giving a speech or posing for a picture. The science says so.

    • Aaron Reply
      March 31, 2022 at 3:07 am

      Aww, another Aaron on here…good to see that. Saying something I never would say…

    • stc Reply
      March 31, 2022 at 12:41 pm

      Remember when BLM and Antifa rioting was suddenly OK?

  2. Jason Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 12:56 pm

    There’s no outrage. It’s just Gary being obnoxious.

  3. DaninMCI Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 1:07 pm

    You are making a lot of excuses for them. It’s all for show at this point. If it was really so dangerous to be without a mask why would there be any reason to take it off.

  4. Jason the 2nd Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 1:10 pm

    Let me get this straight…you’re making an issue (with evidence) over Gary making an issue over NOTHING (the latter shocks no one).

    I hear Doug Llewelyn now: “Join us next on the People’s Court for the case of the bigger clicks.”

  5. Hal Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 1:13 pm

    Luckily, when I fly commercial I fly out of DFW or Love. No one says anything about me not wearing a mask at all in the terminal or lounges.

  6. SMR Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 1:34 pm

    Just goes to show the world is DONE with masks. So stupid.

  7. Joel S Avgeek Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 1:35 pm

    Gary Leff takes every opporunity he can to bash Delta – often lacking any objectivity. I wrote to him a few weeks ago that ‘View From The Wing’ would no longer be part of my avaition blog list after he posted an obnoxious ‘Click Bait’ headline and article. There are plenty of good blogs out there – like this one. You clearly put a lot of thought into your articles. I don’ always agree with your POV, but it’s apparent you try to be objective and fair.

    • Aaron Reply
      March 31, 2022 at 3:09 am

      Is the clickbait on Gary’s site that much worse than the clickbait on here? Just curious, I stopped visiting Gary’s site since he stopped doing trip reports a while back.

      • Matthew Klint Reply
        March 31, 2022 at 3:10 am

        I’d say we are fierce competitors in the clickbait category…

  8. Jan Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 1:42 pm

    Mayor of LA holding his breath again, guys.

  9. Jerry Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 1:52 pm

    I’ve noticed a pretty major drop in mask compliance inside airports over the past week or so… LAX included. I appreciate Gary’s sentiment, but if he’s wearing a mask when he waits at the AC here in AUS, then he’s the only person in there with a mask on.

    • Kramer Reply
      March 30, 2022 at 1:59 pm

      Jerry, this is the way society functions. Aren’t you a part of society?

  10. Tony F. Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 2:19 pm

    “I don’t think they violated the spirit of the mandate.” -LOL love it; whatever you gotta tell yourself

    “The mask directive does not apply if the airport area is ‘under the control of an aircraft operator.’ Might that have applied here and actually made masks optional?” -By this reasoning wouldn’t mask optional actually apply to anyone/anywhere in a airport?

    “the mandate does not require a mask ‘while communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, when the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.’ We don’t know if someone who lip reads was in the audience…” -What an unsolvable paradox we have here. On one hand, the CEO/Mayor go maskless for the sake of the hearing impaired, but unfortunately in the process they might also unintentionally spread Covid and thereby kill the same person they’re trying to accommodate. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      March 30, 2022 at 2:24 pm

      You poor man. Whether you are trolling or fearful, it makes me very sad. We’ll all light a candle for you.

  11. rjb Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 3:16 pm

    The rules are the rules. Except when they are not. It’s all a big charade. Masks don’t work and neither do vaccines.

  12. Ram Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 4:13 pm

    Matt, different topic. Are you speaking at Dallas Travel & Adventure show this Saturday ?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      March 30, 2022 at 4:45 pm

      No, sadly I will not be present.

      • Ram Reply
        March 30, 2022 at 4:56 pm

        Sad. Will miss you there as well as free admission that you provided last time.

  13. Jeff Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 10:06 pm

    Lets stop being outraged over those not wearing a mask. I think Ed Bastian and LAX officials not wearing a mask was intentional to send a message to Biden.

  14. Markj Reply
    March 30, 2022 at 11:56 pm

    Gary Leff…by reputation the dean of points bloggers…uses more snark and clickbait than any other blogger. If his blog went away tomorrow no one would miss it.

  15. mark s Reply
    March 31, 2022 at 12:11 am

    the masks are not tbe safety issue

    Look at the size of the dangerous ribbon-cutting scissors. In an airport.

  16. stc Reply
    March 31, 2022 at 12:27 pm

    How about when BLM and Antifa rioters went maskless with no social distancing? Our Karen overlords in the media and government said that was OK. The Chi-com virus suddenly stops if you’re protesting Trump and Whiteness. Remember this next time the Karens act up.

  17. Mark Reply
    March 31, 2022 at 8:50 pm

    Thank goodness you posted that conclusion. I was confused by the post.

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