'Got a NYT journalist caught in my satire': NYT correspondent asks to interview man who tweeted that flight attendants removed their face masks and shouted 'this is MAGA airspace'



A New York Times journalist reportedly reached out to request to interview a man who made a social media post stating that flight attendants had removed their face masks aboard an airplane and shouted "this is MAGA airspace."

The tweet, which was satire, came on the day that U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle slapped down a federal mask mandate that required masks on public transportation — the ruling said that "the Court declares unlawful and vacates the Mask Mandate."

Jared Rabel, who describes himself in his Twitter biography as a "Christian" and a "libertarian on the old right," posted a tweet that said: "I boarded a plane today with my son and mid flight, the pilot announces that the mask mandate is over. Flight attendants pulled off their masks and sneezed directly into their hands while screaming 'this is MAGA airspace'. My son turned to me in tears. I don’t know what to do."

I boarded a plane today with my son and mid flight, the pilot announces that the mask mandate is over. Flight attendants pulled off their masks and sneezed directly into their hands while screaming \u201cthis is MAGA airspace\u201d. My son turned to me in tears. I don\u2019t know what to do.
— Jared Rabel (@Jared Rabel) 1650327134

Rabel did not label the tweet as satire, and Victoria Kim of the New York Times reached out and requested to interview him, according to a screenshot posted by Rabel.

"Hi Jared, I'm a New York Times journalist, I'd love to speak to you over the phone about what happened on your flight this evening. Can you please give me a call ... or let me know how I can reach you?" Kim wrote, according to the screenshot. "Hope this isn't coming too late in your day. Thank you, look forward to hearing from you."

Rabel tweeted that, "For those asking, this is 100% legit. I’m as surprised as you."

"Got a NYT journalist caught in my satire today," Rabel declared.

For those asking, this is 100% legit. I\u2019m as surprised as you
— Jared Rabel (@Jared Rabel) 1650339777

"I’m glad I could assist, even a little bit, in undermining the credibility of the corporate press. Their depravity is coming to light more and more, which is a positive thing for the republic," Rabel tweeted on Tuesday.

The federal government could potentially pursue a legal challenge in a bid to reinstate the mask mandate.

"On April 13, 2022, before the district court’s decision, CDC explained that the order would remain in effect while it assessed current public health conditions, and that the Transportation Security Administration would extend its directive implementing the order until May 3 to facilitate CDC’s assessment," the U.S. Department of Justice noted in a Tuesday statement. "If CDC concludes that a mandatory order remains necessary for the public’s health after that assessment, the Department of Justice will appeal the district court’s decision."

WATCH: Air Travelers And Crews Celebrate After Judge Strikes Down Mask Mandate

Passengers and airline crews rejoiced on Monday after hearing that a federal judge struck down Biden’s sweeping federal travel mask mandate.

Biden administration will extend transportation mask mandate for another month



President Joe Biden's administration will extend the federal mask mandate on airplanes, trains, buses, and transit hubs for an additional 30 days, according to a White House official and a TSA official. The federal mask mandate was set to expire March 18 but will be extended to April 18.

This will be the fourth extension of the mask mandate for public transit, airports, and train stations. The original federal mask mandate for commercial and public transportation systems was enacted in February 2021 to comply with Biden's executive order to "encourage widespread mask-wearing and physical distancing on public modes of transportation, consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will work with government agencies over the next month to develop plans for when the mask mandates could be eased or eliminated.

"At CDC's recommendation, TSA will extend the security directive for mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs for one month, through April 18th," the CDC said in a statement.

"During that time, CDC will work with government agencies to help inform a revised policy framework for when, and under what circumstances, masks should be required in the public transportation corridor," the health agency stated. "This revised framework will be based on the COVID-19 community levels, risk of new variants, national data, and the latest science."

On Wednesday, the TSA released tips for people traveling during the busy spring break period.

The first recommendation stated: "Continue to wear a face mask. The mask requirement remains in place and TSA will continue to assess the duration of the requirement in consultation with CDC."

Last month, the CDC issued a guidance that recommended that approximately 70% of Americans did not need to wear face masks indoors. Last Thursday, the CDC stated that roughly 93% of the U.S. population could safely unmask in areas of low COVID-19 infections.

Last week, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA – the largest flight attendant union in the U.S. that represents more than 50,000 flight attendants – called for the mask mandate on planes to be extended.

"The conditions in aviation are the same," the union told USA Today. "Our youngest passengers do not yet have access to the vaccine. The airplane is a unique, but controlled environment for everyone's safety. The layered approach to safety and security includes masks. Aviation is a world-wide network that harmonizes safety procedures around the world. It’s also critical that we maintain passenger confidence in the safety of air travel."

Trade group Airlines for America, travel industry associations, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce called on President Biden's administration to repeal the public transportation mask mandate by March 18 or "provide a clear roadmap to remove the mask mandate without 90 days."

"Given travel's slow economic recovery, and in light of the improved public health metrics in the U.S. and medical advancements to prevent the worst outcomes of COVID-19, we encourage the administration to immediately remove travel requirements that no longer fit with the current environment and to set clear timelines and metrics for when others will be lifted," the letter addressed to White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeffrey Zients stated.