Losing the middle seat on airplanes and finding the joy of Jesus

Could middle seats on airplanes become a casualty of the
coronavirus pandemic?

Easyjet CEO Johan Lundgren thinks that when lockdown measures and travel restrictions are lifted, leaving the middle seat empty on flights could become an option. This would be one way to keep passengers safe as they return to the skies.

Not everyone is on board with his idea, however. In fact, Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary calls it “mad” and “ineffective.” He adds: “We’re in dialogue with regulators who are sitting in their bedrooms inventing restrictions such as taking out the middle seats, which is just nonsense.”

He has a point. Even if middle seats were left vacant or
removed, passengers in the aisle and window seats would be closer than six feet
to each other. Many would take public transportation to the airport in crowds
that are not socially distancing. And lines to board airplanes would stretch
impractically if every person were standing six feet from every other person.

Nonetheless, removing or not using the dreaded middle seat
on airplanes would be one way that the temporary pandemic could make a
permanent change in our way of life. There are many others.

Some believe that working-from-home practices could persist and even grow when the pandemic ends. They see a renaissance of small towns and suburbs as people seek lower housing costs and costs of living while working remotely. Employees could still commute occasionally to the home office, perhaps while working in autonomous vehicles.

Online shopping is expected to continue and even grow in
popularity, as will streaming video and video games. Virtual dating could
retain its popularity. And some suggest that stay-at-home regulations could
spur a much-needed baby boom.

Finding the joy of Jesus

Using bad for good is a common theme in Scripture.

Joseph’s journey from enslavement and prison to pharaoh’s palace is an obvious example. Another is David’s…