Opinion |
1 min read . Updated: 01 Jun 2020, 09:54 PM ISTConsidering how cramped economy-class seating on most planes is, aviation experts have argued that entire configurations need revision just to revive passenger confidence in flying
India’s civil aviation regulator reportedly asked airlines on Monday to keep middle seats vacant on single-aisle jets to the extent possible. Else, they could provide safety gear. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation wants this rule adopted to keep flyers safely apart, and coronavirus at bay. Onboard spacing should have been the norm all along, but it’s better late than never.
Considering how cramped economy-class seating on most planes is, aviation experts have argued that entire configurations need revision just to revive passenger confidence in flying. Spacing out flyers, however, means higher flight-cost per head, and airlines were struggling to make ends meet even before the covid crisis. This consideration was why the Centre had deemed the idea unviable just a few weeks ago. Yet, apart from must-fly cases, few people seem ready to fly unless they are assured that they won’t suffer accidental elbow and knee bumps from strangers. With airfares capped, this is a hard promise for an airline to make. Price caps ought to be lifted, in accordance with current realities, lest the aviation sector sees its hopes of a recovery sink over the horizon.
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