Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 63; Flight Crew Total 5587; Flight Crew Type 5587
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Passenger Misconduct
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
During initial boarding phase the Lead FA brought to my attention a threat to the safety of the flight.  The threat was that she noticed several passengers were not covering their noses and mouths with a face covering.  FAs counseled each passenger boarding without their masks on properly on airline's policy that all travelers are required to wear face coverings during their entire flight.  As the Captain I made three PAs at the beginning; middle; and end of the boarding process explaining the airline policy.The CSR was initially alerted to this health threat and stated that they counseled customers were traveling together in a large group of about a dozen.  He stated that he made PAs in the boarding announcing the face covering policy.   At the end of the boarding process the CSR again repeated airline's mask policy then closed door 1L.  Prior to pushback the FAs alerted me that they again had to tell a few members of the same group to wear their mask.  Later one of the FAs stated that some of the passengers from the large group were displaying eating and drinking motions while specifically staring at the FA.  While on the ground; each of the multiple incidents that members of the group were told to wear their masks properly they complied.  The Lead FA contacted me after initial level off for cruise flight.  She requested that I make another PA about airline's face covering policy because multiple members of the same group were again not wearing their masks to cover their noses and mouths.  I made a fourth PA repeating airline's policy and explained that the masks were mandatory for public health reasons. I also explained that they may be putting the safety of the flight in jeopardy.  I then contacted Dispatch to alert the company of the threat to the safety of the flight.  Via ACARS the Dispatcher issued instructions to mitigate the threat.  The Lead FA subsequently informed me that after my fourth PA all passengers complied with the face covering policy.
Air carrier Captain reported several passengers were not complying with face mask policy.