JetBlue Extends Plans to Block Middle Seats Through September

JetBlue announced it would continue blocking middle seats through September as other airlines are booking their flights to capacity.

Officials from JetBlue revealed Monday the carrier would not sell tickets for middle seats on its larger aircraft and aisle seats on smaller planes through September 8 as part of continued efforts to battle the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

People traveling together will still be able to request three seats in a row, but the general rule of blocking the middle seats will remain into September, an extension from the original plan of blocking them through July.

While JetBlue continues to block the middle seats, American and United Airlines have reversed their decision to not book flights at capacity, a move criticized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A recent report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) suggests leaving the middle seat empty can cut down the risk for coronavirus transmission by around 50 percent, while wearing a mask at the same time makes the journey even safer.

Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) promised to introduce a bill to block the sale of middle seats during the coronavirus pandemic after he boarded a packed American Airlines flight in June.