Airlines pack in customers like there's no coronavirus

[babylonsister]

I have a friend flying today and will admit I'm worried about her.

2 hours ago - Economy & Business
Airlines pack in customers like there's no coronavirus
Dion Rabouin


As restaurants, department stores and other local businesses grapple with operating at half occupancy (or less) to comply with social distancing guidelines, airlines are packing customers to near capacity on a reduced number of flights.

Why it matters: The practice shows how a lack of a national policy allows certain companies — like airlines — to continue to put Americans at risk for exposure to COVID-19 while other companies miss out on revenue by adhering to local regulations.

"If you look back at SARS in 2003, this issue of planes being a spreader of the virus has been well-known," Paul Tharp, an attorney specializing in negligence and liability at North Carolina's Arnold & Smith law firm, tells Axios.
Unless Congress passes rules shielding the airlines from liability — as Senate Republicans have discussed — they could face a complicated legal situation, Tharp adds.

snip//

The big picture: Policymakers have created local ordinances for land-based businesses and public transit services that require new layouts to reduce the number of people.

Airlines have had no such oversight — and they're seeing fewer customers simply because fewer people want to fly.
As a result, they've created a patchwork of rules that are often merely suggestions.

Delta, for example, instituted a rule "capping seating at 50% capacity in first class and 60% capacity in the main cabin and keeping middle seats blocked."

American Airlines, on the other hand, has a policy to "not assign 50% of main cabin middle seats or seats near flight attendant jump seats." However, it does not put a hard cap on bookings and maintains the right to "use those middle seats when necessary."
American's representatives have told passengers that flights will only be booked at 50% capacity, but is not enforcing that cap and has been operating flights with nearly every seat filled.
United said it will allow passengers to rebook or receive a travel credit if they end up on flights that are close to full capacity.

more...

https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-airlines-packed-flights-d926ddcd-62e2-4f5f-92e3-3da9b32576e4.html

[Aussie105]

1. Same in Australia.

Boss of our chief airline said he can't do the '4 square meters per person' distancing, it would mean only twenty something people could fit onto a plane designed for over one hundred.

It would just make a ticket too expensive, he said.

Mind you, go back to the early days of commercial flights when piston engined planes could only carry 8 or so passengers, and check the price of tickets then. Only rich people in a hurry could afford to fly.

Expect airlines to pack planes like before, justified on company viability/profit grounds. Their business model won't let them do anything else.

Best avoid plane flights. The air conditioning is not set up to filter out viruses, indeed it is a good way to spread airborne viruses throughout a plane within minutes. Distancing has no meaning in this context.

Travel by car if it is important, put off any overseas travel.

[gristy]

3. The air conditioning IS set up to filter out viruses

There's been posts with articles here at DU, and a recent article in the NY Times.

[BannonsLiver]

8. Thanks

So many people think they’re experts. It’s tiresome.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. Would that even help much

if everybody is unable to socially distance?

[dem4decades]

2. I have a 150,000 miles for air line seats which i wonder if i'll ever use.

Switched over to a cash back card, might as well get something cause i'm not getting on one of those planes anytime soon.

[FoxNewsSucks]

4. I was about to stop using my AAdvantage card,

a few years ago because I had a lot of miles and no desire to get on an airplane. So I started looking for a different card to use. I found out that American miles can also be used for hotels and rental cars, and I think gift cards. So I kept using it to get miles for hotels for vacations.

I haven't been on an airplane for almost 6 years, and probably will not again. I like car trips, and even before the contagion, flying is miserable and getting worse every year.

[dem4decades]

11. Thanks for the tip

[BannonsLiver]

9. If they're transferable I'll be happy to take them off your hands

[cbdo2007]

5. Ugh, I have a work conference in August they're going to make me go to if stuff is open...

Really hoping the conference is cancelled so I don't have to deal with flying and conferencing.

[uponit7771]

6. This is disgusting that they're not warning passengers AT ALL

[roamer65]

7. I won't be flying until there is a vaccine or an antibody therapy.

Period.

[Brother Mythos]

10. What could possibly go wrong?!