US airlines mandate facial coverings

The largest US airlines are moving rapidly to mandate facial coverings for all passengers, with Southwest Airlines Co and Alaska Airlines joining other major airlines in imposing the measure to address the spread of the coronavirus and convince reluctant passengers to resume flying.

United Airlines, Delta Air Lines Inc and American Airlines Group Inc, along with the smaller Frontier Airlines, which is owned by private equity firm Indigo Partners LLC, announced on Thursday that they would require facial coverings next month following JetBlue Airways Corp.

Some airlines, like Southwest, will provide masks if passengers forget to bring them on board as they announce new cleaning procedures to reassure consumers.