Top North American movie theaters slash capacity over virus
Customers enjoy a movie while seated in reclining chairs, at the newly redesigned AMC theater on Broadway at 84th Street, in New York, Oct. 21, 2013. Image: AFP/Emmanuel Dunand
North America’s top movie theaters will reduce capacities by half over the coronavirus pandemic to allow “social distancing” between customers, the companies said Friday.
AMC — the largest chain with 8,000 screens across the continent — will cap United States audiences at 50% from Saturday through to the end of April.
“With this action, we are facilitating the ‘social distance’ between guests who still want to see movies on a big screen,” said Adam Aron, president of AMC Theatres, in a statement to Agence France-Presse.
Audiences will be capped at 250 people for any screen regardless of capacity, under the “aggressive, nationwide steps to provide additional space between guests.”
Staff will sanitize “high-touch” areas such as ticket kiosks every hour.
Regal — with over 7,000 screens — announced similar measures, as did Canada’s Cineplex. RGA
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