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Comment by ceejayoz | Hacker News Reader

Why not? I live with three other people. Surely we can sit together, given that we're already spending 24/7 in the same house?

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United just posted their updated rules and that’s exactly what they’re doing - you can call in and request adjacent seats. Otherwise it’s one apart.

Good, that's the way to do it

True - I think there should not be an option to sit adjacent to someone if you are not booking together.

The option exists. It's called buying two tickets.

The whole article is about how the option exists. My point is that it should not be an option! You should not be allowed to sit next to a stranger and potentially infect them with COVID

Airlines have been sitting people next to strangers who could be infected with anything for more than 50 years. Life is not without a certain amount of risk.

A month ago you could be seated next to a stranger infected with ebola or tuberculosis. What's different about covid?

Covid-19 is a pandemic.

> A month ago you could be seated next to a stranger infected with ebola or tuberculosis.

This was vanishingly unlikely, especially on a US airline, and both are substantially more difficult to catch.

You can’t buy an empty seat. For instance, if you want to buy the middle seat to ensure it is empty, they won’t let you. At least they wouldn’t prior to this year.

Sure you can, and have been able to for years. It's easier if you say it's because you're overweight, though.

https://viewfromthewing.com/who-knew-you-can-buy-an-empty-mi...

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