People wearing masks aboard a tram in the Miami International Airport in Florida on Sept. 3. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
President Biden directed the Transportation Security Administration on Thursday to double fines on travelers who refuse to wear masks.
Why it matters: It's part of the Biden administration's effort to control the coronavirus as cases and hospitalizations largely driven by the Delta variant surge nationwide.
- A federal mandate requires travelers to wear masks on airplanes, trains, buses and other forms of public transportation.
- Starting Friday, penalties for not wearing a mask will increase to between $500 to $1,000 for first offenders and $1,000 to $3,00o for second offenders.
What they're saying: "If you break the rules, be prepared to pay," Biden said in a speech. "And, by the way, show some respect. The anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their job is wrong. It’s ugly."
The big picture: The Federal Aviation Administration has received 4,184 reports of unruly passengers so far in 2021, more than 70% of which were related to mask requirements on flights.
Go deeper: Biden mandates COVID vaccines for federal workers, with no option for testing