Bloomberg
Delta Air Lines Inc will block middle seats on all its aircraft through September 30, extending the policy for three months to soothe passenger fears about contracting the coronavirus.
The carrier will switch to larger planes or add flights on high-demand routes that approach seating limits, Delta said in a statement. The Atlanta-based carrier previously guaranteed empty middle seats through June 30.
US airlines slashed flights earlier this quarter as demand nearly disappeared because of the pandemic and government restrictions on travel. Carriers have resumed some flights as demand has begun inching up. Nearly 268,000 travellers passed through US security checkpoints, compared with 2.25 million on the equivalent day a year earlier.
Delta and JetBlue Airways are the only US carriers to guarantee empty middle seats. Southwest Airlines has pledged to book flights at no more than two-thirds full, while American Airlines Group Inc is limiting the number of customers on each flight.