Delta Air Lines has extended its policy of blocking middle seats through the end of March 2021, which would leave it the sole U.S. carrier with such a policy well into next year.
Although several U.S. carriers currently have policies to block middle seats, most of those are set to expire within the next few months. Southwest Airlines is ending its capacity controls as of Dec. 1, and Alaska Airlines said it would begin phasing out the policy on Jan. 6. JetBlue also has said it would end all capacity restrictions by Jan. 8.
Recent studies have concluded the risk of transmission aboard aircraft is low due to their industrial-grade filters and airflow combined with enhanced cleaning policies and face covering requirements. Even so, "we recognize some customers are still learning to live with this virus and desire extra space for their peace of mind," Delta chief customer experience officer Bill Lentsch said in a statement.