Major Airlines to Likely Reject CDC’s Middle-Seat Blocking Guidance

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.

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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.

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Other major airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Southwest Airlines no longer practice seat blocking.

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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.

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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'