Study Finds That Blocking Seats On Planes Reduces Virus Risk

A new study says leaving middle seats open could give airline passengers more protection from the virus that causes COVID-19.

Researchers said the risk of passengers being exposed to the virus from an infected person on the plane could be reduced by 23% to 57% if middle seats are empty, compared with a full flight.

The study released Wednesday supports the response of airlines that limited seating early in the pandemic. However, all U.S. airlines except Delta now sell every seat they can, and Delta will stop blocking middle seats on May 1.

The airlines argue that filters and air-flow systems on most planes make them safe when passengers wear face masks, as they are now required to do by federal regulation.

Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kansas State University estimated how far airborne virus particles travel inside a plane. They used mannequins that emitted aerosol to measure the flow of virus particles through airline cabin mock-ups.

The study, however, did not take into account the wearing of face masks because it was based on a previous study done in 2017, before the pandemic.

Nor did it consider whether passengers are vaccinated against COVID-19. The CDC says vaccinated people can travel at low risk to themselves, although the agency still recommends against nonessential travel.

Airlines for America, a trade group for the largest U.S. carriers, said airlines use several layers of measures to prevent the spread of the virus on planes, including face masks, asking passengers about their health, and stepped-up cleaning of cabins. The group cited a Harvard University report funded by the airline industry as showing that the risk of transmitting the coronavirus on planes is very low.

Airlines were divided last year over filling middle seats. While Delta, Southwest, Alaska and JetBlue limited seating on planes, United Airlines never did and American Airlines only blocked seats for a short time. It was mostly an academic question, because relatively few flights last year were crowded. That is changing.

More than 1 million travelers have gone through U.S. airports each day for the past month. While that is still down more than one-third from the same period in 2019, more flights now are crowded. Around Easter weekend, Delta temporarily filled middle seats to accommodate passengers whose original flights were canceled because of staffing shortages.

Federal Guidance to Fly Healthy This Holiday Season

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Departments of Transportation, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security and State have established a new web portal where airline passengers can obtain updated information on how to Fly Healthy this holiday season. The portal walks you through every step of the process: plan your travel; at the airport; aboard the aircraft; arrival at your destination, and returning home. Passengers making plans to return to air travel during the COVID-19 public health crisis are encouraged to visit the portal before heading to the airport. The experience as an airline passenger begins at home, planning and taking precautions to help everyone have a safe journey while preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Following these and other federal travel guidance will help ensure airline passengers can Fly Healthy for the holidays and safely negotiate all aspects of air travel. Recommendations include, among others:

Trip Planning: Before booking your trip, check for international travel advisories and destination-specific COVID-19 risk. Refer to individual state, territorial, tribal, and local government websites for domestic travel advisories and information about quarantine or other restrictions.

At the Airport: Once you arrive at the airport and exit your vehicle, start wearing your mask. This includes on shuttle buses, trams and any time you are outside your own vehicle on airport grounds.

Aboard the Aircraft: Wear your mask aboard the aircraft, practice good sanitation, and maintain as much social distance as possible. Be sure to pack extra masks for yourself and your party in your carry-on.

Arrival at Your Destination State, local, and territorial governments may have travel restrictions in place, including testing requirements, stay-at-home orders, and quarantine requirements upon arrival.

Returning Home: You may have been exposed to COVID-19 on your travels. Regardless of where you traveled or what you did during your trip, take action to protect others from getting sick after you return. The Federal Aviation Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Transportation Security Administration, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection collaborated on the guidance supporting these recommendations. Additional information to better protect airline passengers, crew, and other airport workers can be found in the Runway to Recovery publication, a joint guidance initiative from the Departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, and Health and Human Services https://www.transportation.gov/flyhealthy