March 31, 2021 | Andrew Appelbaum FlyersRights’ Air Travel Social Distancing and Stimulus Plan Summary and Key Facts FlyersRights Social Distancing and Stimulus Plan Summary Requires social distancing by limiting passenger load capacity to 50% or 65% The federal government purchases 15%-30% of tickets to keep seats unoccupied In return, the federal government receives a percentage of tickets in return for government travel when the industry recovers Estimated cost of $80 billion over 12 months Quick Facts The CDC still recommends against air travel. An empty middle seat provides greater protection against the spread of Covid-19. President Joe Biden directed the Department of Transportation and other federal agencies to implement necessary safety measures for air travel. The airlines have received over $79 billion in federal bailouts across three different Acts of Congress: The CARES Act of March 2020 provided $25 billion in grants and an additional $25 billion in loans, plus tax relief. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 of December 2020 provided $15 billion in grants to airlines. The American Rescue Plan Act of March 2021 provided an additional $14 billion in grants. Videos Air Travel Stimulus Plan