Bombay High Court rejects plea to keep middle seat vacant in flights

The Bombay High Court on Monday rejected a plea to keep the middle seat vacated by commercial airlines.

After listening to both parties, the court in its judgement on Monday said, “The submissions of the Respondents imply that outside it is necessary to keep a distance of 6 feet and inside the aircraft even one seat between passengers is not required to be left out, as if the virus will know it’s inside the aircraft and it is not supposed to infect.”

A division bench of Justice SJ Kathawala and Justice Surendra Tavade on Monday in its order said, “We are of the prima facie view that the safety and health of the passengers on board the aircraft qua Covid-19 virus is adequately taken care of even if the middle seat of the aircraft is not kept vacant on account of passenger load and seat capacity,” The copy of the order was reviewed by BusinessLine .

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had passed its order dated 31st May 2020, wherein the recommendations of the Expert Committee were issued. It had recommended that the middle seat should be left empty.

“Airlines shall allot seats in such a manner that the middle seat/seat in between two passengers is kept vacant if the passenger load or seat capacity permits the same. However, members of the same family may be allowed to sit together,” said a new order issued by the DGCA.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) did not support mandating social distancing measures that leave the middle seat empty.

BusinessLine had reported that the commercial airlines too were against leaving the middle seat empty. According to them, it was financially unviable and if the touchpoints were reduced in the aircraft and proper precautions were taken prior to boarding the aircraft, the possibility of the spread of Covid-19 was almost minuscule.

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