Some airlines are giving passengers barred from flying because they refused to comply with mask rules another chance.

Delta Air Lines said in a statement Wednesday that it “will restore flight privileges for customers on the mask non-compliance no-fly list only after each case is reviewed and each customer demonstrates an understanding of their expected behavior when flying with us. Any further disregard for the policies that keep us all safe will result in placement on Delta’s permanent no-fly list.”

United Airlines similarly said: “On a case-by-case basis we will allow some customers who were previously banned for failing to comply with mask-related rules to fly United again – after ensuring their commitment to follow all crewmember instructions on board.” 

Alaska Airlines said “guests who were banned solely for mask noncompliance will be allowed to purchase tickets on our flights.”

And American Airlines’ chief government affairs officer, Nate Gatten, said in an earnings call Thursday that it, too, will allow past mask violators “to resume travel at some point in time." 

The announcements came days after a federal judge in Florida struck down a national mask mandate on airplanes and public transportation. Major U.S. airlines quickly announced masks are now optional. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday it has asked the Justice Department to appeal the ruling.

Delta and Alaska, however, said they will continue to ban passengers whose behavior was “egregious” in refusing to wear masks. Gatten said American also will continue to permanently ban those passengers who were involved in more serious behavior, such as assault. United did not directly answer a question from Spectrum News on Thursday asking if it would draw a similar line.  

About 2,000 people are on Delta’s banned list for mask violations, 1,700 on Alaska’s and 1,000 on United’s. American has not disclosed how many people it has banned.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, nearly 800 of the 1,233 reports of unruly passengers on flights this year have been related to masks. In 2021, 72% of the nearly 6,000 cases stemmed from mask violations.

The FAA said Wednesday it will make its zero-tolerance policy for unruly passengers permanent. The policy, implemented in January 2021, allows the agency to issue fines instead of warning letters or counseling. Some cases also can be referred to the FBI for criminal review.

"Behaving dangerously on a plane will cost you; that's a promise," acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen said in a statement. "Unsafe behavior simply does not fly and keeping our Zero Tolerance policy will help us continue making progress to prevent and punish this behavior."

The FAA has proposed about $2 million in fines under the policy. Earlier this month, it proposed the two largest-ever fines on passengers for alleged unruly behavior — $81,950 and $77,272.