The FAA is not a medical agency. They can offer no proof that the masks help in the least. I’m thinking these fines are to make up lost revenue. The more this crap is pushed, the more lost revenue there should be. For those who don’t have to fly because of business obligations, I would say ...”Don’t Fly”. I sure don’t intend to until they get over this foolishness.
It’s not up to the FAA they are under the executive branch and so is the CDC which has ordered the FAA to enforce a executive branch ruling of the mask mandate. Only only Congress can via legislation and a veto proof majority override the executive branch you know that grade school checks and balances thing.
That said since the FAA is under executive orders to enforce the mask mandate they have the full force of USC code on their side they can fine up top $250,000 and 20 years in jail for assaulting a flight attendant, up to $37,000 per incident for just disobedience to a flight attendant who is giving instructions based on executive mandate. You have zero recourse to not obey while in flight the crew have absolute authority while airborne and the full force of the federal government’s agency’s behind them the FIBs will take over in a flash at the request of a flight crew as will US Marshals the ride won’t be fun not cheap. Rand Paul has said as soon as the Senate is back in session he will try to get a law passed to revoke the CDC mask mandate but I doubt chairman Xi will sign it so it will need to be veto proof.