COVID

JetBlue announced new flying etiquette that begins next month

The change begins May 4.

JetBlue
In this March 16, 2017, file photo, JetBlue airplanes on the tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File

Traveling on JetBlue will be a bit different come next month.

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All JetBlue passengers are required to wear face coverings due to the coronavirus pandemic beginning May 4, the airline announced Monday. JetBlue is Logan International Airport‘s largest carrier.

“Wearing a face covering isn’t about protecting yourself, it’s about protecting those around you,” said Joanna Geraghty, president and chief operating officer at JetBlue, in a press release. “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. We are also asking our customers to follow these CDC guidelines in the airport as well.”

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The new policy requires that passengers wear a face covering over their nose and mouth throughout the trip, including during check-in, boarding, and deplaning, according to the airline. Passengers will be notified of the requirement by e-mail before the journey and again at the airport through announcements and signage. Young children who are unable to keep the coverings on their faces are exempt from the requirement.

Suitable face coverings are made of cloth that fits snugly against the side of the face, are secured with ties or ear loops, include multiple layers of fabric, and allow for unrestricted breathing, per the CDC, the airline wrote, noting that surgical and N95 masks should be reserved for health care workers and first responders.

The airline industry has been hit hard by the public health crisis. JetBlue’s daily departures at Logan Airport have dropped from 165 in April 2019 to 28 this month, according to the airline.

Earlier this month, JetBlue’s CEO Robin Hayes wrote in a letter to the company’s 23,000 crew members that worrying about preserving jobs at the airline “keeps [him] up at night.”

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