Coach-class dreaded middle seat is gone, for now

United Airlines will begin blocking middle seats in all aircraft cabins, joining an industry move to keep the spot empty for the sake of social distancing in the pandemic era. The airline will also change its boarding process to give passengers more space as they walk onto a plane, and process all seating upgrades at the airport to better control crowding. The new procedures will apply through May 30, United said Wednesday. The carrier follows peers in revamping routine practices in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus and reassure customers they can travel safely. Some of United’s 777-200s have a 2-4-2 seat layout in the premium cabin. The importance of in-flight social distancing is likely to rise in May and June as deeper schedule reductions take effect. <br/>