No need to keep middle seats vacant on flights, says report

As the world prepares for the resumption of air travel, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airport Council International (ACI) stated that social distancing on-board — like leaving the middle seat vacant — will not be necessary as passengers sit facing forward and not towards each other, and thus the risk of coronavirus transmission is low. In a recommendation document issued on the safety guidelines for passengers, the airports and airlines bodies stated that the direction of the airflow on-board acts as protection against the virus.

It read, “...Customers sit facing forward and not towards each other, seat-backs provide a barrier, the use of HEPA filters and the direction of the airflow on board (from ceiling to floor), and the limited movement in the aircraft once seated, add to the protection. As an added protection against possible in-flight transmission, IATA recommends use of face coverings in situations where physical distancing cannot be maintained, including in flight. In this regard, it should not be assumed that physical distancing on board (eg through blocked seats) would be necessary.”

IATA and ACI recommended individual governments to set up online portals for collecting contact information for passengers to be used for tracing purposes.

The agencies added that those who have recovered from Covid-19 should not have to undergo all the processes in place for general passengers. The joint paper stated, “If a passenger could be documented as having recovered from Covid-19 and thus as being immune, they would not require many of the normal protections...boarding and on board processes, bypassing many of the protective steps such as face cover and temperature.”