All passengers traveling with JetBlue will be required to wear a face mask beginning May 4, CNN reported Tuesday.
JetBlue is the first major U.S. airline to enact such a measure, a major flight attendants’ union said, according to CNN.
“Wearing a face covering isn’t about protecting yourself, it’s about protecting those around you,” Joanna Geraghty, president and chief operating officer of JetBlue, said according to CNN.
Delta sent a memo to its employees Monday that was shared with the Daily Caller notifying staff that they will be required to wear masks or face coverings until June 30, the date that the policy will be re-evaluated. Passengers are encouraged to wear masks, and the airline will make them available at ticket counters, gates, and onboard airplanes.
American Airlines will be requiring flight attendants to wear face masks during every mainline and regional flight beginning May 1. American Airlines and United Airlines were sent requests for comments regarding prospects of enacting mask policies for passengers, but did not respond in time for publication. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Do Face Masks Actually Work To Protect You From Getting Sick?)
Air Canada mandated passengers in specified areas at Canadian airports wear masks starting April 17. Travelers must prove they have a suitable face covering prior to boarding — items like scarves or a similar covering suffice, according to Forbes.
An airport employee puts on protective gloves and respiratory mask as she prepares to do passengers’ check in at the counter of China Southern Airlines at Rome’s Fiumicino airport, for a flight returning to Wuhan, China. (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
JetBlue’s policy for passengers covering their faces comes after the airline began requiring its crew members to wear the coverings while working.
“This is the new flying etiquette. Onboard, cabin air is well circulated and cleaned through filters every few minutes but this is a shared space where we have to be considerate of others,” Geraghty told CNN. “We are also asking our customers to follow these CDC guidelines in the airport as well.”
