Delta Air Lines Will No Longer Block Middle Seats

Delta Air Lines has announced that starting May 1, it will no longer block middle seats on its aircraft.

The policy began in order to ensure social distancing on airplanes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As vaccinations become more widespread, consumer demand and behaviors show us that confidence in travel is on the rise and customers are ready to reclaim their lives,” said a statement from Delta.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian noted that nearly 65 percent of its pre-pandemic passenger base anticipate having at least one dose of the vaccine by May 1 but cautioned employees in a company-wide memo that the end of this policy doesn’t signal a return to pre-pandemic normalcy.

“Don’t confuse these actions with a return to ‘normal,'” said Bastian in a memo to employees Wednesday. “We’re still operating in a pandemic, and many of the changes we’ve made over the past year, such as strengthening our cleanliness protocols and eliminating change fees, will be permanent. Importantly, masks remain critical to our ability to safely welcome more people on board our planes, and we remain committed to enforcing these requirements.”