India tells airlines to keep middle seat vacant as far as possible

NEW DELHI: Airlines in India will need to keep the middle seat empty if passenger load factors and seat capacity allow for it, the aviation regulator said in a notice to domestic and international carriers.

However, members of the same family would be allowed to sit together, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in its notice issued on Sunday and seen by Reuters.

The regulator did not elaborate on what load factors or seat capacity would require the middle seats to be left vacant. It said the rules would come into effect from June 3.

The DGCA did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Airlines including IndiGo, India’s largest carrier, SpiceJet and Vistara, a joint venture of Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, were allowed to resume partial operations last week after a two-month lockdown to fight the spread of the coronavirus.