JetBlue Continues Commitment to Blocking Middle Seats, Travel Flexibility into October
August 05 2020 - 8:30AM
Business Wire
As Part of Its Safety from the Ground Up
Program, JetBlue Also Strengthens Face Covering Policy
JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced several updates to its
Safety from the Ground Up program, a multi-layered commitment to
the safety of its crewmembers and customers. JetBlue is extending
its commitment to seat distancing for flights through at least
October 15 by blocking middle seats in rows where parties are not
traveling together. JetBlue is also extending its Go Back and Forth
with Confidence initiative through October 15, which provides
travel flexibility by waiving change and cancellation fees for new
bookings. Finally, JetBlue is strengthening its face covering
policy to prohibit masks with vents or exhalation valves, and will
no longer allow customers to claim exemptions from wearing a face
covering altogether.
“Our Safety from the Ground Up program continues to be a
thoughtful and always evolving set of layered protection measures
that demonstrates our commitment to keeping our crewmembers and
customers safe while providing them with peace of mind in the air
and on the ground,” said Joanna Geraghty, president and chief
operating officer, JetBlue. “We continue to hear from our customers
that added space onboard and travel flexibility are incredibly
important to them during this time and we want them to know we are
listening because we are all in this together.”
JetBlue’s safety program is focused on four areas: healthy
crewmembers; clean air and surfaces; more space, fewer touchpoints;
and travel flexibility. As part of its “more space, fewer
touchpoints” focus, JetBlue’s seat distancing policy provides
assurance that customers will not be seated directly next to
someone they don’t know. Middle seats are blocked on its Airbus
aircraft, and on its smaller Embraer 190 aircraft, JetBlue is
blocking aisle seats. The airline does allow customers traveling
together to sit in middle and aisle seats.
Strengthening safety with face covering policy
adjustments
JetBlue was the first airline to require customers to wear a
face covering during the entire travel journey, including at the
airport. In line with information from the Centers for Disease
Control and JetBlue’s own medical experts, starting August 10, the
airline will no longer allow the use of face masks with vents or
exhalation valves. JetBlue will also no longer allow customers to
claim exemptions from wearing a face covering altogether.
“The simple act of wearing a proper face covering is one way we
can all help ensure the safety of all JetBlue crewmembers and
customers,” Geraghty said. “Our terminals and airplanes are a
shared space, and every customer must wear a proper face covering
or will need to delay their travel on JetBlue until face coverings
are no longer required. Our policy is meant to offer the strongest
level of protection for everyone given all that we currently know
about how COVID-19 is transmitted.”
An acceptable face covering or mask must cover a customer’s nose
and mouth and is required to board all JetBlue flights. If a
crewmember identifies a face covering or mask that does not appear
sufficient based on its features or potential lack of protection,
they will provide a mask for the customer to use instead. Customers
two years and younger will not be required to wear a face covering
if they cannot maintain one.
Customers who do not agree to wear a face covering will not be
allowed to board any aircraft, and customers who do not follow
crewmember requests to wear a face covering while in flight will be
reviewed for future travel on JetBlue.
Expanding safety technology
JetBlue has long been known for sourcing innovative technology,
and the pandemic has created opportunities to expand on that
innovation. Mostly recently, JetBlue partnered with Honeywell to
pilot the company’s UV Cabin System. The system harnesses the power
of UV-C lights connected to two arms on what looks like a high-tech
beverage cart. The arms sweep the light over aircraft interior
surfaces, helping to reduce viruses and bacteria. The airline is
piloting the technology while continuing its hand cleaning and
electrostatic disinfection.
JetBlue has also rolled out technology meant to further reduce
common touchpoints. They include:
- Mobile app check-in with touchless bag tag integration,
avoiding the need to touch kiosks
- Automated bag drop, avoiding close proximity with
crewmembers
- Touchless self-boarding, avoiding crewmembers handling boarding
passes and personal devices
- Mobile device remote control pairing for inflight
entertainment, avoiding the use of in-seat remote and/or
touchscreen menus onboard
A multi-layered safety program on the ground and in the
air
As part of JetBlue’s Safety from the Ground Up program, the
airline has expanded a number of new enhancements that further
reduce common touchpoints on the ground and in the air.
JetBlue’s program puts in place safeguards across four focus
areas, and the airline continues to work under the guidance of an
infectious disease specialist and informed by CDC guidelines.
Healthy crewmembers
Steps to ensure the health and safety of JetBlue’s crewmembers
include:
- Conducting temperature checks for our pilots and inflight
crewmembers
- Providing paid sick leave and additional time off programs so
crewmembers do not come to work sick
- Following company-wide protocols for reporting cases of the
coronavirus, notifications and return to work clearance
- Providing disinfectant kits for pilot use on the flight
deck
- Requiring face coverings for all crewmembers while boarding, in
flight, and when physical distancing cannot be maintained
Clean air and surfaces
JetBlue is using disinfectant approved to kill coronavirus and
maintaining healthy air onboard its aircraft. Steps include:
- More frequent disinfecting of common surfaces like kiosks and
counters inside our airport terminals
- Providing hand sanitizer throughout terminals and disinfectant
wipes to customers on board upon request
- Increasing aircraft cleaning before every flight and overnight,
including surfaces that are touched most like tray tables
- Using electrostatic sprayers to disinfect the inside of our
aircraft
- Piloting Honeywell’s UV Cabin System as another layer of
protection against viruses and bacteria
- Filtering cabin air through hospital-grade HEPA air filters
with cabin air completely changing about every three minutes
More space, fewer touchpoints
To increase physical distancing and to decrease touchpoints,
JetBlue is implementing the following steps:
- Requiring face coverings for all customers during check-in,
boarding and in flight
- Blocking middle seats on larger aircraft and aisle seats on
smaller aircraft for those not traveling together (at least through
October 15)
- Providing the most space between each row of seats in coach of
any U.S. airline* and spacious seating on all aircraft
- Requiring all travelers to complete a health declaration
- Providing touchless check-in and boarding experiences using the
JetBlue mobile app and self-boarding gates for many of our
flights
- Implementing a back-to-front boarding process for most
customers to minimize passing in the aisle
- Streamlining onboard service to minimize physical interactions
and maximize safety and comfort
- Using your personal device as a remote for seatback screens on
select planes
Travel flexibility
JetBlue has adjusted policies allowing customers to choose to
travel when they are comfortable:
- Waiving change and cancel fees for tickets purchased by October
15 to give customers confidence when booking
- Extending Travel Bank credit expirations to a 24-month period
for credits issued between Feb. 27 and June 30
- Providing 24/7 support and award-winning customer service
About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier
in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San
Juan. JetBlue carries customers across the U.S., Caribbean, and
Latin America. For more information, visit jetblue.com.
*Based on the average fleet-wide economy seat pitch of U.S.
airlines.
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JetBlue Corporate Communications Tel: +1.718.709.3089
corpcomm@jetblue.com
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