JetBlue says passengers must wear face coverings beginning next week

JetBlue starting next week will become the first U.S. airline to require passengers wear face coverings.

Starting on May 4, JetBlue Airways has announced passengers must wear masks or face coverings of some kind on flights, USA Today reports. JetBlue had already required flight attendants wear masks, and other airlines like Delta have been recommending that passengers wear them.

"This is the new flying etiquette," JetBlue President and COO Joanna Geraghty said. "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. We are also asking our customers to follow these CDC guidelines in the airport as well."

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Geraghty also described this as not just about "protecting yourself" but about "protecting those around you."

JetBlue said the masks will be required during check-in, boarding, on flights, and while deplaning, and passengers will receive a reminder about the new policy through email and via announcements before flights. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended wearing face coverings in public settings where it's difficult to maintain social distancing.

Airlines had faced pressure to make masks a requirement for passengers, and Association of Flight Attendants international president Sara Nelson in a statement to USA Today urged others to "follow JetBlue's lead."