Designer Creates Shields for Social Distancing on Planes
One industry that is seeing many changes because of COVID-19 is the airline business, which is trying to find ways to protect passengers from catching the virus. One idea, called PlanBay, involves using the middle seat in a new way to help with social distancing.
PlanBay uses a thick piece of plastic as a shield that sits in the middle seat, separating the window and aisle seats. It also includes a shield on the top of seats to protect passengers from those in the row behind.
The idea is easy and cheap to create because it uses the seats that are already on planes instead of replacing them with a new design. The shields are not permanent and can be removed quickly once travel becomes safer.
PlanBay comes from French engineer Florian Barjot, who says his wife gave him the idea. Barjot told CNN that she was not only worried about passengers sitting next to her, but also those behind her seat.
However, Barjot has not yet sold the design to an airline, and doesn't know if it will be used on planes. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says it does not support any idea, like the PlanBay shield, that makes middle seats unusable.
The IATA says that if airlines stopped using the middle seat, a ticket would be between 43% and 54% more expensive compared to 2019 prices. It says the risk of catching the virus on a plane is low and recommends passengers use face masks when flying instead.
