Keep the middle seat open

Anhörung im US-Congress am 30.06.2020

The Hill, Newspaper in Washinton, D.C. vom 30.06.2020, Ausschnitt aus Artikel von Peter Sullivan:

“Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield at a congressional hearing on Tuesday expressed “substantial disappointment” with American Airlines for its new policy of filling its planes to capacity despite the coronavirus …

… “I can tell you that when they announced that the other day, obviously there was substantial disappointment with American Airlines,” Redfield said at a Senate Health Committee hearing. “A number of the airlines had decided to keep the middle seat (open)” …

In contrast, Delta Air Lines is capping capacity at about 60 percent and Southwest Airlines at about 67 percent, according to the Associated Press. …”

Financial Times vom 30.06.2019, Ausschnitt vom Artikel von Mamta Badkar:
“… Anthony Fauci and Robert Redfield questioned the recent decision by American Airlines to stop keeping the middle seat of flights empty, as the carrier tries to increase passenger loads. “That is something that is of concern,” Mr Fauci, the head of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said … Mr Redfield said. “We don’t think it’s the right message.”

Global News vom 30.06.2020, Ausschnitt vom Artikel von Hannah Jackson:

“…. However, Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, said he was “appalled” (entsetzt) to learn that airlines have decided to return to selling middle seats, saying that this should “absolutely not be going on.”…

… That risk increases, he added, the longer you are in close quarters. “So an airplane is a disaster,” he explained. “You can’t get away.” He said he “absolutely would not get on an airplane that is selling a middle seat.” “And I would never advise anyone to do that,” he said.

Furness said he doesn’t think the middle seat on airplanes should be sold until there is a vaccine against the virus.”

Deutschland:

Hamburger Abendblatt vom 02.06.2020, Ausschnitt aus Artikel von Alexander Klay und Miguel Sanches:

“…. Eine Airline wie die Lufthansa verzichtet seit 4. Mai darauf, die Mittelplätze frei zu halten. Und so sitzen die Menschen in der Economy-Class dicht an dicht wie vor Corona-Zeiten. …”