News reports say that India’s civil aviation regulator asked airlines on Monday to keep middle seats vacant on single-aisle jets to the extent possible.
Else, they could provide wrap-around gowns. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) wants air operators to follow this directive, with the passenger load factor and seat capacity of their planes taken into account, as a measure to keep flyers safely apart and coronavirus at bay.
The DGCA order is in line with advice of the International Air Transport Association, but appears to have been nudged by the Supreme Court, which observed a few days ago that the government ought to be more concerned about the health of citizens and that social distancing aboard aircraft was essential to.