JetBlue will continue blocking off middle seats

JetBlue is extending its blocking of sales for middle seats through July 4 to adhere to physical distancing in areas where passengers are not traveling together.

The extension is a portion of the airline’s multi-pronged “Safety from the Ground Up” initiative, as it is also planned to implement temperature screening for all crewmembers as well as electrostatic aircraft fogging, which will be rolled out in June.

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JetBlue

“As communities start to reopen and with summer travel kicking off this weekend, more people are beginning to fly, and we want them to feel safe on JetBlue,” President and Chief Operating Officer Joanna Geraghty said in a press release.

“Our program layers together a series of protections throughout the entire travel journey, which work together to help keep everyone safe and well.”

JetBlue’s approach to the “Safety from the Ground Up” program focuses on four main areas: healthy staff, sterilized air and surfaces, increased space and fewer touch points, and travel flexibility.

In the context of increased space and fewer touch points, the airline’s distancing policy ensures customers will not be directly seated next to another passenger with whom they are not familiar. As such, middle seats will be blocked on JetBlue Airbus aircraft. The airline will block the sale of aisle seats on the smaller Embraer 190 aircraft.

If passengers are traveling together, JetBlue will allow them to sit in adjoining seats.

The airline previously issued a statement at the end of April, stating that it would require all passengers to wear masks beginning May 4 as a preventative measure.

For a full description of all that JetBlue is doing to ensure the health and safety of crew and passengers, visit the airline’s website.