SAN DIEGO — A federal judge in Florida voided the federal mask mandate on Monday, ruling that the CDC had exceeded its authority.
In response, the Transportation Security Administration will no longer enforce the nationwide masking requirement on planes and public transit.
The CDC had recently extended the mask requirement until May 3 to allow more time to study the new BA-2 variant, which is now responsible for the majority of COVID cases nationwide.
While the White House is calling this decision to overturn the mandate "disappointing," airline passengers are split on the decision.
Following that federal judge's decision Monday, major airlines are now telling its passengers that masks are now optional on most flights.
On one Southwest flight from Denver to San Diego Monday, the end of the federal mask mandate was announced mid-flight.
"The whole plane erupted in applause, including the flight attendants, and everyone took off their masks," said Encinitas resident Matt Winkley, a passenger on that flight.
"Flying will be a little different now!" San Diegan Alyssa Martin told CBS 8, shortly after she had returned from Portland.
"I comply," she added. "I may not agree with masks but I comply wherever it's mandatory, so now to be able to have that choice and your freedom, I think it's pretty cool."
"I think it's perfect," agreed Skip Levandowski, who is visiting from Minnesota. "I think we're at the end of the road and we need to move on. Everyone can protect themselves."
"I think they are jumping the gun," countered Imperial Beach resident Jean Perry, who thinks this decision is far from perfect: she wants the mandate to remain in place.
"I like having that extra layer of protection, and if we don't have that, then what do we have?," she added.
"Especially flying, " agreed another airline passenger visiting San Diego. "We had a guy sneezing and coughing in front of us on our flight. I don't want to get the cold or flu, or COVID."
While the San Diego International Airport is following the TSA's guidance, meaning masks are now optional there, San Diego's public transit system - the MTS - is still mandating masks on its trolleys, buses and other vehicles, as well as its stations, as it awaits guidance from the federal government.
"I think we need to wear masks with this new variant," said San Diegan, and trolley rider, Barbara Kleber, who has no problem with the mask requirement.
"It's still out there," she told CBS 8. "And I think we should wait. Two weeks isn't going to kill us, we've been doing it for two years!"
Riding that same trolley as Barbara Kleber, was Beth Smith, a nurse visiting from Texas.
"If people want to wear them, great - wear them," Smith said. "But I don't think it should be mandated. I just think people should have the ability to make that decision for themselves."
Despite the judge's decision, the CDC is still encouraging passengers to continue wearing masks on all forms of public transit.
WATCH RELATED: Hundreds more flights canceled because of staff shortages (Dec. 2021).