NY Times journalist appears to fall for satirical tweet about mask mandate on planes: 'This is MAGA airspace'

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A New York Times journalist appeared to take a Twitter user's satirical message about flight attendants yelling "MAGA" seriously after the lifting of mask mandates on Monday. 

"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," Jared Rabel's tweet read, which he said was "satire."

TRAVELERS REACT TO END OF MASK MANDATE WITH JOY, APPLAUSE

People traveling by plane during COVID 19, wearing N95 face masks, carrying luggage in airport terminal. (iStock) (iStock)

According to Rabel, New York Times reporter Victoria Kim sent him a direct message on Twitter and asked if he would be willing to "talk about what happened" on his flight. 

"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," Kim wrote. 

"For those asking, this is 100% legit. I’m as surprised as you," Rabel told his followers. He tweeted a screenshot of the reporter's message.

"I was pretty upset about the whole thing. Unfortunately, this is satire and only somebody at the New York Times would believe," Rabel told the reporter via direct message. 

Airline companies and more have dropped their mask mandates after a federal judge lifted the national face covering mandate on Monday. 

FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS MASK MANDATE FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

United, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest all lifted their restrictions following the announcement that the Transportation Security Administration would no longer being enforcing the face covering requirements. Uber also lifted their own restrictions, but noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends masking "if you have certain personal risk factors and/or high transmission levels in your area."

These airlines also encouraged to make their own decisions about masking on airplanes. 

"Masks are no longer required on domestic flights, select international flights (dependent upon the arrival country's requirements) or at U.S. airports," United Airlines tweeted Tuesday. "More comfortable keeping yours on? Go right ahead… the choice is yours (you look dino-mite either way)!" 

JetBlue airplane gates at John F. Kennedy International Airport. (AP Photo)

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FILE PHOTO: Air travelers make their way past a sign mandating face masks for all during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Phoenix international airport in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. September 24, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Blake (Reuters)

Several videos of pilots and flight attendants announcing that passengers no longer have to wear masks circulated online, which were met with applause and cheers from passengers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot speaking. This is the most important announcement I’ve ever made," the pilot said in video footage of the announcement. "The federal mask mandate is over," a pilot on Alaska Airlines said. Ben Dietderich, the press secretary for Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska, recounted and recorded the announcement on his Twitter account. "Take off your mask if you choose!" 

Another aboard a JetBlue flight said the announcements was met with a "loud, sustained cheer."