Leaked Delta Letter Reveals More Than 550 No-Mask Passengers Have Been Banned

An internal memo from Delta Air Lines (DAL) leaked to the public Thursday found that the airline had banned more than 500 people from flying on its carriers for violating its COVID-19 mask policy.

Commenting on the prospects of an eventual vaccine to treat the virus, Delta CEO Ed Bastion outlined the company’s “stop the spread” campaign in an internal memo.

“We’ve now added a total of nearly 550 people to our no-fly list for refusing to comply with Delta’s mask requirement on board,” Bastion stated. “Fortunately, that number represents a tiny fraction of our overall customers, the vast majority of whom follow our guidelines and appreciate the steps we are taking to keep them safe and healthy.”

The memo was shared by Reuters correspondent David Shepardson on his official Twitter account. ABC News in October released a Bastion memo that put the number on the no-fly list at 460.

Delta in July announced it would ban passengers that did not comply with a face-mask mandate that extends into terminals.

Delta is not the only airline to commit to such a policy. American Airlines, United Airlines, Spirit, Frontier Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines also have banned passengers for violating their face mask policies.

Delta on Monday explained its policies and procedures meant to keep passengers safe during the pandemic. Through at least Jan. 6, the airline said it was blocking middle seats, spraying frequently-touched surfaces with high-grade disinfectant and recirculating the air every six minutes at worst. It added later that, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no cases of COVID-19 transmission were reported on a U.S. airplane.

Travel restrictions have been damning for the airline industry. Delta in October reported it took a pre-tax loss of $6.9 million in the third quarter.

Shares of Delta shares on Thursday were trading at $34.06, down 0.96, or 2.74%, as of 2:44 p.m ET.