The announcement comes before a meeting between the chief executives of major U.S. airlines, including American, and senior U.S. officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, at the White House to discuss several virus-related travel issues and to press for government-administered temperature checks for airline passengers. U.S. airlines are bleeding cash as travel suffers in the pandemic and some have warned capping seats sold on each flight to allow for more space between passengers is not viable. American previously limited its seating capacity at 85% on each flight, or roughly 50% of the main cabin middle seats.
