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The US airline has become the first to require coverings on passengers and crew.

The coronavirus pandemic has been especially harsh to the travel industry, as potential passengers are understandably deterred from the idea of travel by the concern of sharing a cabin with an infected person. The fact that several flights in recent months were confirmed to have carried at least one infected passenger has not done air travel any favors. In an effort to assuage passenger fears, as well as fears held by crew and attendants, JetBlue has decided to mandate face coverings.

Starting Monday, May 4, all passengers, crew, and attendants on JetBlue flights will be required to wear a face covering. This requirement lasts the duration of all flights, from boarding, to cruising, to landing. Anyone who refuses to wear a mask will not be permitted to board a plane. Young children who may not be able to hold a covering on their face will be the only ones exempt from the requirement.

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

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Airline labor unions, who have been lobbying for stronger protections against coronavirus infection, have praised JetBlue for their decision. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, said that “All airlines should follow JetBlue’s lead, including its efforts to fully communicate the change before it becomes effective next week so that Flight Attendants are not put in the position of being enforcers without information and backing from the airline.”

Other airlines have quickly taken the hint from JetBlue. American Airlines will begin handing out masks and sanitizing wipes to all passengers, and employees will be required to wear masks. Delta Airlines will also begin requiring masks for any situation in which it is not possible for attendants to maintain six feet of distance.