Middle seat issue in airplane

Special Desk

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has desisted from forcing airlines to keep middle seat empty. Instead, it left it to the airlines’ to do so.

Airlines to allot seats in flights in such a manner that middle seats between two passengers are kept vacant to the extent possible. In an order the aviation regulator said, “airlines shall allot the seats in such a manner that the middle seat/seat between two passengers is kept vacant if the passenger load and seat capacity permits the same. However, members of same family may be allowed to sit together”.

“If it can’t due to high demand, then it must arrange for a gown for the passengers seating in middle seats,” the aviation regulator said in a fresh directive. DGCA was forced to relook at the middle seat policy. Airlines should try to keep middle seats on flights vacant and provide “wrap-around gowns” for those who do end up with these seats. The government had earlier said it would not be viable to keep middle seats vacant as fares would shoot up.

Passengers who are assigned middle seats on a flight should be provided a “additional protective equipment like a wraparound gown of the Textile Ministry approved standards” in addition to a face mask and shield, a DGCA or Director General of Civil Aviation order said.The order is in addition to the ones on frequent sanitization, replacing of cabin air and a ban on meals or drinking water on flights.