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.
But if you look more closely, you see that Bastian had a mask on while the mayor was speaking:
And the mayor had a mask on while Erabacci was speaking:
And the mayor and Erabacci had a mask on while Bastian was speaking:
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.
It’s okay because covid can’t get you when you’re giving a speech or posing for a picture. The science says so.
Aww, another Aaron on here…good to see that. Saying something I never would say…
Remember when BLM and Antifa rioting was suddenly OK?
There’s no outrage. It’s just Gary being obnoxious.
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.
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.”
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.
Just goes to show the world is DONE with masks. So stupid.
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.
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.
I’d say we are fierce competitors in the clickbait category…
Mayor of LA holding his breath again, guys.
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.
Jerry, this is the way society functions. Aren’t you a part of society?
“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)_/¯
You poor man. Whether you are trolling or fearful, it makes me very sad. We’ll all light a candle for you.
The rules are the rules. Except when they are not. It’s all a big charade. Masks don’t work and neither do vaccines.
Matt, different topic. Are you speaking at Dallas Travel & Adventure show this Saturday ?
No, sadly I will not be present.
Sad. Will miss you there as well as free admission that you provided last time.
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.
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.
the masks are not tbe safety issue
Look at the size of the dangerous ribbon-cutting scissors. In an airport.
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.
Thank goodness you posted that conclusion. I was confused by the post.