Major Airlines to Likely Reject CDC’s
Middle-Seat Blocking Guidance.
On April 14, the CDC released a study that reignited the controversy surrounding middle-seat blocking on airplanes.
The study found that keeping middle seats
vacant reduced exposure to “viable”
COVID-19 particles by up to 57 percent. .
Physical distancing of airplane
passengers, including through policies such
as middle seat vacancy, could provide
additional reductions in risk for exposure
to SARS-CoV-2 on aircraft, CDC, via statement.
In the United States, Delta Air Lines is the
only carrier still blocking economy middle seats,
although they are set to stop doing so on May 1. .
Other major airlines, including American Airlines,
United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Southwest
Airlines no longer practice seat blocking. .
When asked why, they deferred to
Airlines for America, a trade association that
represents major airlines in North America.
In a statement to 'Insider,' Airlines for America stressed
that aircrafts had a “very low” risk of exposure, essentially reaffirming their belief that seat blocking is unnecessary. .
Multiple scientific studies confirm that
the layers of protection significantly
reduce risk, and research continues to
demonstrate that the risk of transmission
onboard aircraft is very low, Airlines for America, to 'Insider'