Delta Air Lines is building on its efforts to make more space for safer travel by blocking the sale of select aisle and window seats on additional aircraft, capping seating at 50 percent in First Class and 60 percent in Main Cabin, Delta Comfort +, and Delta Premium Select to reduce the overall number of customers in every cabin across the fleet.
This change, which is effective through June 30, is the most recent addition to a number of health and safety measures Delta has taken to promote a safe flying experience for customers and employees.
While middle seats have been blocked from sale on all flights since mid-April, Delta will now also block select window and aisle seats in all cabins on aircraft configured with 1×2, 2×2 and 2×3 seating. Seat blocks for narrowbody and regional jet aircraft will launch this week; blocks for the two-seat sections of widebody aircraft will be visible in the coming weeks. This measure expands seat blocking practices to Delta’s entire operating fleet, including mainline and regional Delta Connection aircraft.
Customers who prefer to be seated directly next to their travel companions or who need additional assistance are encouraged to talk to an agent upon arriving at the gate.
Last month, the airline also paused automatic, advance complimentary upgrades for Medallion members to allow gate agents to determine how to best seat customers consistent with these temporary changes.
In addition to requiring customers and employees to wear face coverings throughout the travel journey, the company is also:
- Expanding electrostatic spraying to all aircraft before departure, in addition to the extensive cleaning measures already in place to sanitize high-touch areas before every flight and the use of state-of-the-art air circulation systems with HEPA filters on many Delta aircraft that extract more than more than 99.999% of viruses.
- Adjusting the boarding process to encourage more space for safer travel by boarding all flights from back-to-front – reducing the instances of customers needing to pass by one another to reach their seats.
- Streamlining onboard food and beverage service on all flights and encouraging customers to pack their own food and non-alcoholic beverages to decrease physical touch points.
- Providing supplies directly to customers when available, including hand sanitizers, amenity kits and other protective equipment to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
- Connecting with health experts, partners and healthcare industry leaders on best practices.
A comprehensive list of onboard changes can be found on delta.com.
For more information, go to Delta Air Lines Transforms Cleanliness Protocol and Delta Blocks Middle Seats. Don’t miss the changes the airline industry is implementing post COVID-19. For more stories about future travel, go to #AmazingDaysAhead.
