Airline floats charging fliers more money in exchange for keeping middle seats vacant during pandemic

Airlines are notorious for nickel-and-diming fliers for things like food and checking bags, but Frontier Airlines now wants to make passengers' personal health a luxury service.

CNN reports that Frontier wants to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to charge customers extra money in exchange for keeping the middle seats of their aisles open so they can maintain social distancing during their flights.

"The airline is to offer a "More Room" seating option to guarantee the middle seat stays unoccupied during flights," CNN reports. "Frontier's seating option will be offered on flights departing May 8 through August 31, with 18 'More Room' seats available on each flight, though there are anywhere from 26 to 41 rows on the carrier's aircraft. Tickets start at $39 per passenger."

CNN notes that other airlines, including Delta and American Airlines, have similarly put in measures to help passengers maintain social distance during their flights, but they haven't taken the step of demanding more cash in exchange.

Frontier, like other airlines, has also made mandatory face masks mandatory for passengers during the COVID-19 pandemic.