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Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian reportedly added 460 people to the carrier’s no-fly list for refusing to wear their masks during flights.

The list, which is typically reserved for suspected terrorists and safety threats, was revealed in an internal memo to employees about breast cancer awareness month.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have focused our efforts on protecting our people, our customers and our communities,” Bastian wrote in the memo, according to ABC News.

Bastian’s memo allegedly cited the rising number of coronavirus cases across the United States as grounds for the move — noting that the pandemic “makes it as important as ever for us to be aware of the multiple layers of defense.”

“Wearing a mask is among the simplest and most effective actions we can take to reduce transmission, which is why Delta has long required them for our customers and our people,” he added. “As of this week, we’ve added 460 people to our no-fly list for refusing to comply with our mask requirement.”

The

announcement reportedly followed several confrontations between Delta flight crews and people refusing to wear their masks. The incidents were allegedly causing flight delays and even led to assaults and the harassment of flight attendants by passengers violating mask regulations.

On Saturday, for example, a Delta flight from Detriot to Las Vegas was delayed 90 minutes due to a mask related incident, and on October 19, a flight attendant was struck in the face by someone refusing to wear a mask during a flight from Miami to Atlanta.

Tags: Delta, Delta Airlines, Edward Bastian