The US government’s top experts in infectious diseases have criticised American Airlines’ decision to pack flights full while the coronavirus outbreak continues to grow across much of the United States.
“Obviously that is something that is of concern. I’m not sure what went into that decision making,” Dr Anthony Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, told a Senate panel on Tuesday. “I think in the confines of an airplane that becomes even more problematic.”
Several US airlines say they are limiting capacity on planes to between 60% and 67% of all seats. However, United Airlines never promised to leave seats empty, and American said last week that starting Wednesday it would drop its effort to keep half of all middle seats empty.
