https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/04/20/covid-risk-of-transmission-lower-when-middle-seats-on-planes-are-empty-cdc-study-says/

The last U.S. airline to maintain a social-distancing policy of leaving middle seats empty to lower COVID-19 risk is set to start filling them next month, just weeks after a new federal study found evidence that greater spacing can greatly reduce virus transmission.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published last week comes as air travel rebounds amid falling virus case rates, looser travel restrictions and more people getting vaccinated. And that invites another look at the question on many travelers’ minds during the pandemic: How safe is it to fly?