Looks like I may be coming into some unplanned time off very soon. How is the current flying situation?

Is it safe to fly cross country, assuming you take the proper precautions?

anyone flown recently?

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Skill without imagination is craftsmanship. Imagination without skill is Modern Art.

You do realize that we’re not far off peak numbers, right?

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‘ 5 airlines blocking seats for social distancing - The Washington Post


If you’re considering flying (or need to) any time soon, the airline you choose will almost certainly have a big impact on the social distancing involved in your flight. While a handful of airlines are still blocking seats from being booked to allow for extra space, they might not be doing so for all of 2020. And some airlines have stopped blocking seats altogether.

Here are five airlines that are still blocking off seats to maintain social distancing and how long they say they will continue to do so.

Delta

The only U.S. airline of the Big Three that are still committed to distancing seat assignments on flights, Delta will block seats on flights through Jan. 6, 2021. The airline announced in August that the current commitment means it “will block the selection of middle seats in Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin.”

In addition, for travel through at least Oct. 31 the airline will “limit the number of customers on board all aircraft,” regardless of whether middle seats are included in the cabin configuration.

Delta is also limiting first-class cabins to half capacity, and is “blocking one aisle of seats on aircraft without middle seats.” For bookings of three or more people, middle seats will appear as available in an effort to allow families to select seats together on the seat map.

Southwest

Earlier this month, budget carrier Southwest extended its practice of blocking off middle seats through November. “Southwest is keeping middle seats open through November 30 to support comfort and physical distancing onboard our aircraft,” a Southwest representative told The Washington Post via email.

The airline is still leaving seats open as first-come, first-served based on boarding group. “As always, Southwest customers may choose their own seats,” Southwest says on its website about the boarding process. “In Southwest’s open seating environment, families, or those traveling together, may still sit together and occupy a middle seat for their convenience.” Previously, middle seats were being accounted for in booking limits only through October, so the practice could again be extended.

JetBlue

Through at least Oct. 15, JetBlue says its “middle seats are blocked for purchase on our larger aircraft, and most aisle seats are blocked for purchase on our smaller aircraft.” The airline is limiting the number of seats for sale “to provide additional space between individuals who are not traveling together.” Groups or families traveling together will be permitted to select together.

Alaska Airlines

Through at least Nov. 30, Alaska Airlines says it is “limiting the number of guests on our flights and blocking seats.” Gate agents may reassign groups or families to be seated together, although the airline notes that “there can be occasions where extra space cannot be guaranteed due to unforeseen changes such as re-accommodating guests from a previously canceled flight.”

Hawaiian Airlines

Through Dec. 15, Hawaiian Airlines says it is “currently preventing the booking of middle seats on our aircraft to continue to provide more space for guests and flight attendants.” The airline says gate agents are responsible for reseating families and groups who want to use a middle seat to sit together, although “depending on load factors, seating may need to be adjusted at the gate to maximize spacing throughout the cabin and meet weight and balance restrictions.”

Airlines no longer blocking seats

The following airlines are no longer blocking middle seats, but may alert travelers during check-in if their flight is near capacity or full: Allegiant, American, Frontier, Spirit, Sun Country and United. ‘


[www.washingtonpost.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2020 06:11PM by btfc.

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mattkime
You do realize that we’re not far off peak numbers, right?

Yes, which is why I was asking the question.

Had planned to go visit my elderly parents in Florida back in May/June but those plans were derailed due to COVID.

The company I'm working for right now is having a cash flow issue and plans to furlough everyone for the rest of this month while they look for money, so it seems I have time to visit now.

Of course, it wouldn't be good to catch covid on the plane and bring it to my elderly parents ...

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Skill without imagination is craftsmanship. Imagination without skill is Modern Art.

friend just flew in from fla to ny today on JetBlue.
They had wipes at the entrance of the plane, no middle seats.
Wipes and sanitizer all over the airport. People seemed to be reasonable intelligent. The plane air HEPA filtered.

I know many others who have flown back and forth to Fla and LA.
So far ...

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!#$@@$#!

If there are spelling issues, please pardon, Owen the cat is sitting on my keyboard.

.....there is always a risk.....a reporter who did a report for NBC when COVID first came around caught it on plane......he actually was a disease specialist......he had mask but he thinks it was via his eyes [ he had no eye protection ].......

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

I would not.

Not yet...

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“Live your life, love your life, don’t regret…live, learn and move forward positively.” – CR Johnson
Loving life in Lake Tahoe, CA

We've flown twice since Covid, both times on Southwest out of Atlanta. Everybody wears masks in the airports and on the plane and there are so few flights that there was no problem staying away from people in the terminal. We had to pull our masks down at security so the TSA agents could confirm our identity as presented on our drivers licenses. They loaded the plane 10 people at a time and had the ventilation systems going while we were on the ground. I've read that airplane ventilation systems are very good and should be on while on the ground. They kept the middle seats empty. One of our flights had a stop where we didn't change planes and so we were able to see the cleaning crew spray and wipe all the surfaces where people might normally touch things--I was impressed. We did bring some single packs of cleaning wipes and we used those, just because. We used normal blue medical masks until we got ready to load and then we used N95 masks without valves that I have for woodworking while loading and while on the plane. Nobody said anything to us about the N95 masks--I had heard that some people will try to shame those wearing them but we had no problems. I flew with my wife so there were no strangers in the row. Nobody coughed and everybody seemed generally aware of others and didn't do the normal pushing up near each other trying to get off the plane. If you're familiar with Atlanta you know there's an underground train to the concourses. We didn't use it because they are pretty crowded and we also find that walking on the beltway lets us stretch out and is almost as fast as taking the train.

I wouldn't hesitate to fly on one of the airlines that is still having empty middle seats.

How safe is it to fly these days?

Well, so long as you socially isolate for two weeks after each flight, the chances of your infecting someone with what you got from the airport or plane-ride are minimal.

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Probably doesn't apply to you, but as of Sept 15th, NY is now allowing people from CA to enter again without needing a 14 day quarantine. Since their list is based on case numbers that could change back again. Florida (and about 30 other states) is still on NY's list.

[coronavirus.health.ny.gov]

If I wore an N95, I'd pretty much fly on any respected airline. Without one, no.

The 42 min mark has a short discussion about travel

[castro.fm]

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My daily record blog: [www.auditorymusings.com]

Also hot off the presses is this article from JAMA

Risk of COVID-19 During Air Travel

[jamanetwork.com]

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pinkoos
Also hot off the presses is this article from JAMA

Risk of COVID-19 During Air Travel

[jamanetwork.com]

Good article - summary is here:

'Steps Passengers Can Take

Wear a mask, don’t travel if you feel unwell, and limit carry-on baggage. Keep distance from others wherever possible; report to staff if someone is clearly unwell. If there is an overhead air nozzle, adjust it to point straight at your head and keep it on full. Stay seated if possible, and follow crew instructions. Wash or sanitize hands frequently and avoid touching your face.'

Do you want to be locked in a room of 100+ strangers for 4-6 hours? You have assigned seating, however.

We HAD to do a plane trip in May. On the flight, I was stuck within 4 feet of an adult man who wore a mask onto the flight but then took it off during the flight.

Last flight for me this year. I am a Platinum Frequent Flyer in 2019. Not flying again until our COVID numbers are lower or I have no other choice.

Serious question - do you HAVE to fly? What about somewhere you can drive to?

Have a friend who is a flight attendant for Jet Blue (at least she was last week, have not spoken since). So she flies pretty constantly and has not had an issue. Beyond a mask and frequent washing, her only protection is the plane's air filtration.

I'd fly with a good mask and not be too concerned.

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“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.”
-- François de La Rochefoucauld

Growing older is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

My airline pilot friends say they get colds or other respiratory illnesses more frequently than their non-flying friends and family (and that was before COVID-19), for what it’s worth.

I'm happy I don't have to fly anywhere.

Wife and I flew on JetBlue from Minneapolis to Boston round trip in September. No issues or concerns. Plane was about one-third full.

I'm avoiding it. If I had to, I'd wear a mask and a face shield. And take plenty of zinc and vitamin D.

My son flew to and from DC in August. I made damn sure he wore an N-95 that I gave him, plus a surgical mask over it, plus gloves. And had him go after the hand sanitizer. And take a shower when I got him to his apartment.

And I wore my N-95 and gloves when I picked him up.

So far so good. There is no way in HELL you can get me on an airplane right now.

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cbelt3
...There is no way in HELL you can get me on an airplane right now.

I'm just not the gambling type, particularly when the stakes are high

Is it safe to fly cross country, assuming you take the proper precautions?


Absolutely.

By definition, the proper precautions virtually precluded any chance of a virus surviving them or being transmitted.

But in reality, it's not that the proper precautions aren't enough, it's that very possibly if not likely, there aren't enough proper precautions.

I wouldn't/won't fly, not for a very long time.

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When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

Everybody matters or nobody matters.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

-An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

Mister, that's a ten-gallon hat on a twenty-gallon head.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

I still can't decide which is the riskier part of it, being in an enclosed container with maybe 100 strangers where many started/lived in the same area as you, or being in the airport for departure and arrival where you cross paths with passengers from cities all over the place, especially an international airport.

Just avoid Air Force 1

If everyone did what they were supposed to and wore masks properly, washed their hands with soap and water, sanitized before and after touch points, etc. It would be perfectly safe. The reality is you are in the USA and you can't even count on a person who is near their deathbed from COVID to not go walk around outside without a mask on and stop in and get groceries.

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C(-)ris
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Throwback Thursday Signature:

Quote
C(-)ris
If everyone did what they were supposed to and wore masks properly, washed their hands with soap and water, sanitized before and after touch points, etc. It would be perfectly safe. The reality is you are in the USA and you can't even count on a person who is near their deathbed from COVID to not go walk around outside without a mask on and stop in and get groceries.

I just got back from Food Lion (southern/eastern seaboard grocery chain). They have a mask requirement and a sign in the middle of the store entrances that's 25 feet from each door. But, fully half the people there weren't wearing masks. I happen to know the manager and I saw him and told him that we really were going to just stop shopping there if they don't at least try to enforce the corporate requirement of masks. He grimaced and said that people just won't do it. I told him that people at Walmart a few miles away are overwhelmingly masked. It's odd that I'll have to start shopping at Walmart to be around masked people. I would have guessed the opposite.

Quote
Michael

Quote
C(-)ris
If everyone did what they were supposed to and wore masks properly, washed their hands with soap and water, sanitized before and after touch points, etc. It would be perfectly safe. The reality is you are in the USA and you can't even count on a person who is near their deathbed from COVID to not go walk around outside without a mask on and stop in and get groceries.

I just got back from Food Lion (southern/eastern seaboard grocery chain). They have a mask requirement and a sign in the middle of the store entrances that's 25 feet from each door. But, fully half the people there weren't wearing masks. I happen to know the manager and I saw him and told him that we really were going to just stop shopping there if they don't at least try to enforce the corporate requirement of masks. He grimaced and said that people just won't do it. I told him that people at Walmart a few miles away are overwhelmingly masked. It's odd that I'll have to start shopping at Walmart to be around masked people. I would have guessed the opposite.

Glad you spoke to him. Honestly, the game of 'avoid the customer who is not wearing their mask properly (they HAVE to wear one to get into the store)' game gets old really fast.

Wal-Mart has truly stepped up it's game during this crisis. Theyt took steps that other stores have ignored; they really pushed the grocery pickup and made it work. In short, Walmart saw an opportunity to snag shoppers and took it.

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“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.”
-- François de La Rochefoucauld

Growing older is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

....hey.....your fly is open......

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

It's safe. If you can, wear an N95 mask while in the airport and on the plane. Don't stand or sit near groups in the airport. You're most at risk when waiting in lines for long periods and when in close quarters with other travelers. The planes themselves aren't fully loaded, and have great ventilation systems. Keep your mask on, unless you need to eat or drink. Then put it back on.

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rj
AKA
Vreemac, Moth of the Future

Fly Qantas

....not very.....

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!