Southwest to Block Middle Seats Through November 30

Southwest Airlines said on Wednesday it will continue to limit the number of seats sold on each flight, allowing middle seats to remain empty through November 30.

Southwest was previously blocking middle seats through October, and has now extended the procedure for one more month. This should be welcomed news for passengers, whether they feel safer due to social distancing, or just having more room aboard.

The airline said bookings had picked up in August and September from a low point in July but remain primarily leisure-oriented and vary by region. Southwest plans to cut its third-quarter schedule by 30% to 35% from last year.