United Airlines has ordered face coverings for all on duty flight attendants.
It takes effect from today, April 24, until further notice.
United is the first major US airline to do so.
It has been welcomed by unions including the Association of Flight Attendants but they say it doesn’t go far enough.
The AFA wants the government to follow the lead of Canada and expand mandatory face coverings for all airline passengers as well.
AFA president Sara Nelson wrote to the departments of transportation and health and human services to provide protective equipment for crew.
Pilot unions have also been pushing for legislation to protect flight crew.
"Flight crews are a unique vector for the virus, traveling all over the country. It is vital that our crews be treated as essential workers and have access to personal protection equipment and testing," said Jason Goldberg, a spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association.
