Southwest Airlines will keep middle seats open

Southwest Airlines will hold back tickets to allow middle seats to stay open through the end of November and is in the process of trimming its November flight schedule.

Dallas-based Southwest has extended its policy limiting tickets sold on planes to allow middle seats to remain open and give more room for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company said in an investor update Wednesday. Southwest previously promised to limit ticket sales on jets through the end of October, and it’s extending the policy as the airline industry continues to struggle during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The move could give customers some peace of mind heading into the Thanksgiving travel period, a time of year when seasonal cases of flu and colds usually increase anyway.

Southwest is trying to find its place on the middle seat issue in an industry that hasn’t found a consensus. Delta Air Lines plans to keep middle seats open through the end of January, while United and Fort Worthbased American Airlines have stopped limiting seat sales.

“Passenger demand and booking trends remain primarily leisure-oriented and inconsistent by region,” Southwest said in the filing.

Southwest said revenue would be down 65 percent to 70 percent in September compared with a year ago and 65 percent to 75 percent in October. Southwest planes were only 42 percent full in August, about half as full as they are in normal times. Capacity is only expected to increase to 45 percent to 55 percent in October.