US JetBlue Airline to Ask Customers to Wear Face Masks During Flight Due to COVID-19

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States' JetBlue airline starting on 4 May will require passengers to cover their nose and mouth during flights in a bid to combat the spread of the coronavirus, according to the company's press release.

JetBlue has reportedly become the first US airline to introduce such requirements for its customers amid the pandemic.

"JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced that starting May 4 all customers will be required to wear a face covering during travel. The policy comes after the airline began requiring all crewmembers to wear face coverings while working. JetBlue has modeled its policy on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines that indicate all individuals should wear a face covering in public to help slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19)," the company said in the press release on Monday.

Under the new policy, all passengers are set to wear face masks throughout their journey, including during check-in, boarding, while in flight and deplaning.

According to Johns Hopkins University data, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the US has surpassed 988,000 since the outbreak. Meanwhile, more than 56,000 patients have died from the disease.