JetBlue Continues Commitment to Blocking Middle Seats in New ‘Safety from the Ground Up’ Program

JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced it will extend through the July 4 holiday its commitment to seat distancing by blocking middle seats in rows where parties are not traveling together. The policy, part of the airline’s multi-layered “Safety from the Ground Up” program, comes as the airline is also set to roll out temperature monitoring for its flight and inflight crewmembers and electrostatic aircraft fogging in June.

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JetBlue's "Safety from the Ground Up" program layers in a series of protections for crewmembers and customers throughout the travel journey. (Graphic: Business Wire)

“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,” said Joanna Geraghty, president and chief operating officer, JetBlue. “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 program focused on four focus areas: healthy crewmembers; clean air and surfaces; more space, fewer touchpoints; and travel flexibility.

Seat Distancing on All Flights

As part of its “more space, fewer touchpoints” focus, JetBlue’s seat distancing policy gives customers peace of mind that they will not be seated directly next to someone they don’t know. Middle seats will be blocked on its Airbus aircraft, and on its smaller Embraer 190 aircraft, JetBlue will block aisle seats. The airline does allow customers traveling together to sit in middle and aisle seats.

“We’re known for generous legroom and space, and now more than ever, those choosing to travel want as much space as possible,” Geraghty said. “We are pleased to extend our efforts to keep seats free and help everyone onboard spread out.”

Even with blocked seats, it’s challenging to maintain six feet of distance between everyone onboard and that’s why JetBlue was the first U.S. airline to require face coverings for customers. JetBlue will keep the seat distancing program in place through at least July 6.

Layering Together a Series of Protections

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 in accordance with CDC guidelines.

Healthy crewmembers

Steps to ensure the health and safety of JetBlue’s 23,000 crewmembers include:

• Conducting temperature checks for our pilots and inflight crewmembers (rolling out first week in June)
• 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