The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said that it is not recommended to leave the seat in the center empty in order to achieve the recommended social spacing law on the plane, as available evidence indicates that the risk of transmitting the virus on board is low even without special measures.

And the Federation stated during a briefing today, that there are many reasonable reasons for not spreading the virus on board, which is mainly spread by respiratory drops, indicating that air travel differs from other public transportation.

He added: Often, the passenger faces are facing forward with limited interaction face to face with other passengers, and the plane's seats provide a kind of barrier to transfer the virus, pointing out that the air flow from the ceiling to the bottom reduces the possibility of moving the virus forward or backward within the cabin, As the air flow rates are high and do not help the spread of respiratory secretions in the same way as in other indoor environments.

And, he added, "The system that depends on the air particle filter (HEPA) available on modern aircraft helps to maintain the purity of air just like hospitals, which works to pump fresh air permanently."

The Federation stated that the law to leave the seat in the center empty will not effectively achieve the recommended social spacing law, as most government agencies advise to leave a distance of 1 to 2 meters, while the average width of the seat is less than 50 centimeters.

And with fewer seats available, seat costs will rise sharply. Compared to 2019, resulting in a significant increase in airline tickets prices between 43% and 54% by region, only to cover these costs.

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