JetBlue Will Now Require its Passengers to Wear Masks

The coronavirus has prompted for millions of people around the nation to wear a mask when they leave the house.
Now one airline is making it mandatory for its passengers to wear masks while on flight.

Starting next month on May 4th, Jet Blue will require its passengers to wear face marks to stop the spread of the virus. Both passengers and employees will have to wear face masks on board.

Jet Blue’s policy is the strictest policy so far in the U.S. and one that follows the New York-based airline’s requirement that flight attendants wear a mask or face covering while on duty.

“Wearing a face covering isn’t about protecting yourself, it’s about protecting those around you,” stated JetBlue’s President Joanna Geraghty. “This is the new flying etiquette.”

American Airlines and Delta Air Lines also announced that they will require thousands of employees to wear face masks and provide masks for passengers.

Starting next month, American Airlines will begin handing out face masks and sanitizing wipes for passengers and require that its roughly 30,000 mainline and regional flight attendants wear masks while on duty.

“Our team members on the frontline are truly going above and beyond during this time,” said Kurt Stache, American’s senior vice president of customer experience. “Their commitment is nothing short of incredible and we will continue to work with them to make sure they have the equipment they need to feel safe.”

Delta said it will require employees to wear masks or face coverings any time it’s impossible to keep a distance of six feet between themselves and a customer or another employee, starting on Tuesday and through June 30th.

“We are strongly encouraging our customers to wear masks and will make them available at ticket counters, gates and onboard airplanes,” four Delta officials said in a staff memo seen by CNBC.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies listed and have not been compensated for this article.