Yet despite vocal proponents of the new rule, several polls suggest a majority of the public isn’t ready for masks to come off.

An early April Harris Poll showed that 60% of Americans supported extending air travel mask mandates.Flying in spite of the risks may be the new reality, though the Justice Department is appealing the ruling.

A recent flash poll conducted by OnePulse just before the ruling also found that 60% of respondents believed the government should extend mask mandates. Nonetheless, 61% said they would wear masks voluntarily if mandates ended…

“I believe air travel will continue to increase as we move from a pandemic to endemic posture,” said Stan Caldwell, associate professor of transportation and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College.