EXPLAINER: What happens in the post-mask world of travel?

By DAVID KOENIG
Associated Press

DALLAS (AP) — A ruling by a judge in Florida means that the federal requirement to wear masks on airplanes and public transportation appears to be dead. The Justice Department on Tuesday left open the possibility of an appeal, but only if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention think the mandate is still necessary. There are plenty of questions about what it all means. All major U.S. airlines and many transit systems have announced — sometimes to passengers in the middle of flights — that travelers could take off their masks. Here are some questions and answers about the ruling, and about what happens to travel now.