Originally Posted by
CZAMFlyer
Why are we debating this development? If sitting shoulder-to-shoulder beside strangers for the duration of a flight is above your comfort level - do not fly. There was no surprise from the very beginning of this pandemic that airlines would return to full-capacity seating prior to an effective vaccine being available and administered to the population. We're about to reach that date, and it's understandable that some passengers will feel more comfortable than others about the reduced separation. Flying remains optional and the airlines have no ability (nor obligation) to ensure you or your planemates don't bring along a case of the 'vid to the flight levels. Those asking for medical studies and research may not understand that a) thousands of such studies are ongoing and b) there is still so much the medical community doesn't understand about covid and its transmission.
You have cut to the heart of social responsibility. If everybody was capable of accurately (or close to) assessing risk, and the risk was *only to themselves* your proposed approach would be fine. But it isn't. Their willingness to take a risk endangers others (potentially). At root, that is why some relatively risky behaviours are not optional and why we don't allow people to make their own determination. Certainly you should allow people to opt for less risk. But allowing them to opt for more is not possible (above a certain threshold) which is why we have public health rules. So we are having the debate because what the reasonable threshold is is up for debate/discussion. And, I would add, prima facie airlines do not appear to be meeting the threshold that most every other business in the country is required to meet. And they have no scientific evidence that an airplane is an environment which would sufficiently reduce risk that they should be exempt from the rules that others have to abide by. In fact the currently available evidence would be that this is not safe, and not a good idea. And finally, if studies are ongoing, we should wait for those studies no validate safety, not assume it is safe (when similar situations are not). Because... Florida. Texas. Arizona. Etc.