Airlines set to allow travellers to return to middle seats from May 1

*Delta Airlines says as things continue to cautiously get back to something resembling ‘normal’, mask-wearing and other Coronavirus (COVID-19) safety measures are still required on flights

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As world’s airlines continue to cautiously get back to something resembling “normal”, several carriers have announced they were bringing back in-flight services like beverages and snacks.

The US-based Delta Airlines, also feeling good enough about the safety measures it added during the pandemic and the continued climb in vaccinations across the globe, says it is returning middle seats to the sales queue effective May 1, 2021.

Delta Airlines’ affected middle seats  Photo: FoxNews

The airlines introduced the middle seat block in April 2020, and was the only airline to keep the change in place for a full year, report stated.

Ed Bastian, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Delta Airlines, said passengers had adapted well.

Bastian said: “While Delta’s decision to block middle seats has given many customers a reason to choose Delta over the past year, the signature hospitality of our employees and the experiences they deliver to customers every day have also deepened their trust in our airline.

“The relationships we’ve built, together with the knowledge that nearly 65 percent of those who flew Delta in 2019 anticipate having at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, are what’s giving us the assurance to offer customers the ability to choose any seat on our aircraft, while also introducing new services, products and rewards to support the journey.”

The airline’s CEO stated:  “We take great pride in the trust we’ve built with customers by listening and delivering on what they said was most important, and that is the approach you can continue to expect.”

Meanwhile, the aviation firm said nose masks are not going away, despite the move to allow air travellers to return to the middle seats of its aircraft.

It noted though middle seats are returning, Delta is not letting its guard down completely.

Face coverings and masks are still required, and the company is not letting up on its cleaning procedures, the company said.