Leaving the Airplane Middle Seat Open Could Reduce COVID-19 Spread, Study Says

Delta remains the only major airline that continues to keep the middle seat open on their planes due to COVID-19, a protocol they’re dropping May 1. CDC guidance suggests keeping the middle seat unoccupied, saying it could reduce passengers’ exposure to the virus by as much as 57%. But Delta’s CEO said the study the guidance is based off was conducted in 2017 and doesn’t take into account any of the other protocols they have implemented, including masking and electrostatic spraying of planes.