JetBlue to require face masks for passengers

JetBlue will require passengers to wear face coverings starting next week, becoming the first major American airline to compel its customers to cover their noses and mouths since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

The policy, which takes effect Monday, covers the duration of a passenger’s flight, from check-in through boarding and deplaning, the airline said.

“Wearing a face covering isn’t about protecting yourself, it’s about protecting those around you,” Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. “This is the new flying etiquette.”

JetBlue already had been requiring its crew members to wear face coverings while on duty. The airline said it modeled its new policy on a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that people cover their noses and mouths in public to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

JetBlue referred to the CDC’s definition of a face covering as a cloth that should fit snugly against the side of a person’s face, is secured with ties or ear loops, “and include multiple layers of fabric for unrestricted breathing.”

The company said it would remind passengers of the new policy before their flight by email and through announcements and signage at airports. Small children who are not able to wear a face covering are exempt from the requirement, the airline said.

United Airlines announced last week that it was requiring masks for its flight attendants. And Delta announced Monday that it was requiring its employees to wear masks or face coverings when they are “unable to maintain at least 6 feet” of distance.

Since late March, JetBlue has limited the number of seats for sale on most flights to allow for more space between passengers who are not traveling together, the company said.

Last month, American Airlines announced that it would not assign 50% of main-cabin middle seats or seats near attendant jump seats. United and Delta are also blocking sales of middle seats.