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Has anyone flown since Covid??

Started by OCGuy81, February 22, 2021, 03:14:33 PM

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jeffandnicole

I flew about 3 weeks ago.  Flew down on a Friday to MCO via Southwest, direct flight from Philly.  Plane was 100% full.  Everyone wore masks and appeared to cooperate.  On the way home, plane was about 80% full.  There must have been one bad boy on the plane, because halfway thru the flight they made an announcement that masks are mandatory by virtue of federal law, and if you don't heed the flight attendants' warnings, when we land you will be escorted off the plane.  I guess that person was closer to the back of the plane because I never heard or saw anything that would warrant a warning.

In both PHL and MCO, TSA lines were reasonably short.  People weren't staying 6 feet apart in any line.  The process was pretty much normal.  After security, we went to our gate area.  Some people were eating/drinking as normal.  We didn't, to limit the time without our masks on, and so we wouldn't have the urge to use the bathroom on the plane.

My wife doesn't like flying to begin with, and was ready to kill me especially when we found out the plane was full.  I, on the other hand, wasn't so bothered by it.   The plane itself was cleaner than any other plane I've seen, and I felt comfortable and safe, more so than other places I've been.

Overall, I would do it again if I had to.  But, that said, I don't plan on it anytime soon.


I-39

I flew back in October. The number of passengers was clearly down, but it wasn't too much different other than wearing a mask and the airlines only serving water.

hbelkins

I'm not a flyer, but my brother flew to Vegas back in December (to go on a hiking trip in the Grand Canyon) and he said the plane wasn't crowded at all.

Interesting to read the comments about restaurants being closed in airports. Several weeks ago, Kentucky's governor instituted another "no indoor dining" order so restaurants were closed. However, I saw several reports of the restaurants at CVG being open. So you couldn't go to whichever chili place that's set up at CVG (Gold Star or Skyline) at a standalone location, but you could go to the airport and eat.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

webny99

Quote from: hbelkins on February 23, 2021, 04:27:53 PM
Interesting to read the comments about restaurants being closed in airports. Several weeks ago, Kentucky's governor instituted another "no indoor dining" order so restaurants were closed. However, I saw several reports of the restaurants at CVG being open. So you couldn't go to whichever chili place that's set up at CVG (Gold Star or Skyline) at a standalone location, but you could go to the airport and eat.

That's true in spirit, but it wouldn't exactly work that way in practice. Most airport restaurants are inside security, so you'd have to have a flight booked and get through security in order to get to the restaurant.

GaryV

Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 23, 2021, 02:18:55 PM
Quote from: kphoger on February 23, 2021, 02:01:04 PM
Quote from: cabiness42 on February 23, 2021, 09:40:17 AM
I'm not sure why you feel obligated to attend.

Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 23, 2021, 01:34:25 PM
its mostly the wife

Way to shirk the onus!   :awesomeface:

Marriage 101 😂

Your job at the wedding will be to make sure the new brother-in-law is informed of all those rules.   :-D

formulanone

#30
I should also mention that most airports have a bit more breathing space, but some terminals seem to be just as packed as before. The scheduling of flights is packed together to consolidate ground crew working hours more efficiently, so some regional jet areas are packed up. That does bother me a lot, as people are more apt to chit-chat, eat/drink, and lower/misuse their masks more frequently.

Fortunately, more terminal gate space is unused, and if you don't mind a little walk (say, 5-10 minutes) one can find places to be left mostly alone even in the busiest of hubs. An app on your phone can now alert you when they're boarding the plane, and I don't really mind being one of the last to get onboard if I use the extra time to shuffle on down to the gate.

Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 23, 2021, 02:18:55 PM
Quote from: kphoger on February 23, 2021, 02:01:04 PM
Quote from: cabiness42 on February 23, 2021, 09:40:17 AM
I'm not sure why you feel obligated to attend.

Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 23, 2021, 01:34:25 PM
its mostly the wife

Way to shirk the onus!   :awesomeface:

Marriage 101

Oh, and this too!  :-D

My wife and kids* want me to get more airline miles and keep the associated frequent flyer status going; though I think the latter doesn't mean as much right now...I'd just like to keep my job and provide for them, and I dread 7-10 hours of harsh winter driving.

* Okay, that wasn't fair, but my wife and daughter got spoiled by flying first class, and my son didn't really notice the difference.

STLmapboy

#31
Yes.

St. Louis to San Diego in July 2020. Southwest both ways. They were blocking middle seats at the time (they stopped in December). Both flights were booked to about 80 percent of available capacity (90 out of 175 total seats on the plane).

St Louis to Chicago-O'Hare to Aspen and back (same routing) in November 2020. American. They weren't blocking middles and haven't done so since July. STL-ORD and ORD-STL were both booked 90% full, with most middles filled. ORD-ASE and ASE-ORD were both about half full.


Both airlines I felt perfectly safe.

Over spring break, I'm flying STL-SLC and back. Outbound on Delta, return on Southwest. Delta is blocking middles through the end of April; they're the only US airline currently doing so. Delta currently looks to only have 30 people on the whole flight.
Teenage STL area roadgeek.
Missouri>>>>>Illinois

tq-07fan

Flew Allegiant for $ 29 from CVG to New Orleans in September. At CVG McDonald's was open but as mentioned there were places closed or operating restricted hours. I rode Amtrak the next day to Atlanta and Greyhound overnight back to Cincinnati for a cheap three day weekend. For KPHogger, I was impressed with Greyhound, the terminal in Atlanta was clean, including the restrooms and the bus was cleaner then I've ever seen. Our driver Mr McDowell took good care making sure everyone had their masks on. Had one woman who was either MRDD or intoxicated that he had to really call out but was he finally able to get her to comply. Greyhound and Amtrak only sold the window seats. OTOH Allegiant was packed completely full, but clean. On all three no one felt out of place wiping down surfaces. I brought my own wipes and even let a couple other passengers take some.

November I flew United from CVG to SFO for another long weekend. All four planes were clean and United handed out packages with a bottle of water, pretzels and peanuts and some high test sanitizer wipes. United also offered beverage service but instead of pouring your Apple Cranberry into the cup and keeping the can they simply handed you the cup of ice and the whole can. I flew through DEN going, coming back I had the choice of connecting at Ohare, IAH or IAD so I chose Dulles, just to say I flew across the United States. It happened to be the Friday night when the Trump supporters came to Washington for the post election rally. The flight crew made warnings then dire warnings about the masks, which they finally got everyone to comply. The other thing was they did not want people walking about the aircraft other then to use the toilets. Ah, yes, for all four United flights they asked people to stay seated until the toilet was empty so as not have a lineup form. Out of all the flying and all five airports I was in the only place I felt uncomfortable was on that stupid rubber tired 'Thing' that goes between the terminals at Dulles. They got it rather full I thought but of course for part of the terminals there is no other way to reach them without riding the 'Thing.'

I drive a bus and didn't take any time off in 2020 so the long weekend trips were a great mental boost to me. Just wash your hands whenever you can and enjoy your trip!

Jim

jakeroot

Only flew once: late June between SEA and IND, and then in early July, IAD to SEA.

For various reasons, I only fly Alaska. It was an excellent experience. No middle seat usage and although food options were limited, drinks were not. I remember having a coffee, soda, and water. Booze was available as well.

I have faced two opportunities to fly since (November, and then just a few weeks ago), both of which I declined. The first because cases were soaring around Thanksgiving, and the second because I didn't want to interfere with the timeline to receive my second COVID vaccine.

kphoger

My co-worker's husband (our former boss), since he left this company, has had a job for which he travels on business.  The business he works for now does installations in large hotels, and he's been everywhere from California to Florida to DC to Denver, and smaller cities besides such as Rolla, MO.  Sometimes he's there for days, overseeing the work or fixing things, and sometimes the project's not even ready yet and he flies home the next day.  I'm guessing he's probably flown for two dozen projects since COVID started.

From what I hear from his wife, the experience varies by airline quite a bit.  Some block the middle seats, others book full airplanes.  Some don't hand out any snacks at all, others give you a napkin and sanitizing wipe along with it.  So I'm not sure there's a blanket "this is what flying is like now" answer, as it will depend on the airline you book with.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

1995hoo

Quote from: kphoger on February 23, 2021, 11:53:36 AM
Quote from: cabiness42 on February 23, 2021, 09:40:17 AM
I'm not sure why you feel obligated to attend.

Who are you to judge?  For all you know, this is the most important day in the life of the most important person in his life.  Can this thread not just be about what it's like to fly now, rather than guilt-tripping people who don't agree with us? especially onsidering how safe air travel is reported to be.

(For what it's worth, I know people who were severely disappointed in either {a} not having people at their wedding or {b} not being able to attend a wedding.  I also know someone who was kind of happy that she could use COVID as an excuse to get out of attending an out-of-state wedding.  :))

Please, very much this. We have not flown anywhere since December 2019, prior to the pandemic, but we are hoping to be able to travel to the Miami area for our nephew's high school graduation later this spring and we are facing a conundrum of how to get there (if we go at all), so I very much appreciate hearing about everyone's experiences with flying. We're torn between driving the whole way, flying both ways (likely Southwest into FLL or RSW) and renting a car, or taking the Auto Train either one or both ways.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

ftballfan

My dad and I are driving down to Florida (with the four-legged kids) from Michigan on Friday and Saturday. My mom and sister are flying down on Saturday for the first time since last March. I might have to fly back to Michigan solo depending on a potential start date/method at a new job I've been offered. (Side note: I haven't flown at all since 2018)

Last year, my mom and sister flew home just before the shutdowns and there were no masks or distancing then. Captain Hindsight would say it was more dangerous to fly last year just before the shutdowns than it is now.

jmacswimmer

#37
I recently returned from a BWI-DEN roundtrip via Southwest, and the whole experience was less different than I was expecting.  BWI security had you scan your ID yourself, and Southwest modified their boarding into lining up groups of 10 at a time versus the entire letter group (for those of you who've flown Southwest, you know how inherently not-socially-distant their normal boarding process is :-D).  The flight out was entirely full (which I suspect may have been due to rebooked passengers trying to get to TX), and the return was mostly-but-not-entirely full.  In-flight, Southwest gave us a cup of ice-water (with no other drink options) and a snack bag that closely resembled Chex Mix.

It seemed like people were largely compliant with airport/airline regulations from what I could see, but crowding was inevitable in spots like parking/rental car shuttles, security, baggage claim (had long waits for luggage after both flights), and the DEN concourse train (and by extension, everyone heading up the escalators at the same time after getting off the train, which was also compounded by terminal construction).

I'll throw out the disclaimer that we probably would have been paying more attention to our surroundings as they relate to COVID, but since we've already had it and my now-fiancée (did it during this trip! :D) is since-vaccinated, we weren't really nervous about or bothered by anything.  The experience certainly will differ by airport & airline as others have pointed out, but as far as our experience we've always liked Southwest and both BWI & DEN have well-designed, spacious concourses.
"Now, what if da Bearss were to enter the Indianapolis 5-hunnert?"
"How would they compete?"
"Let's say they rode together in a big buss."
"Is Ditka driving?"
"Of course!"
"Then I like da Bear buss."
"DA BEARSSS BUSSSS"

tolbs17

Nope and I'm not going to until I get fully vaccinated.

ftballfan

I'll be flying for the first time since 2018 next week. Flying MCO-GRR on Southwest on the 11th and GRR-MCO on Frontier on the 12th. I've flown Southwest before a handful of times, but I've never flown Frontier. I'll be traveling extremely light (as in just toiletries) as it's just an up and back in order for me to take a pre-employment physical/drug test for a new job I'm starting at the end of this month. My family is currently on vacation in Florida and I drove down with my dad and the dogs and we're doing the drive back a few days before I start my new job.

thspfc

Flew from O'Hare to Colorado and back last month.

gonealookin

Quote from: gonealookin on February 22, 2021, 04:03:02 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 22, 2021, 03:43:44 PM
Feel I know the answer but probably no beverage or food service?

Southwest was passing out wrapped packages of snacks when I flew SMF-HNL and OAK-HNL within the last couple months (a bag of Wheat Thins with some dip, a little bag of fruit chews).  Only beverage was water though; sadly the opportunity to pay $8.50 for 12 oz. of beer is gone for now.

SMF-HNL was pretty empty, about 30-35 passengers on a 175-seat 737-800 each way.  OAK-HNL well over 100 passengers each way; middle seats were taken but most often by families.

The in-airport experience was delightful in all cases.  No lines anywhere for baggage check or security, just walk straight up to the desk.  I'd note that a LOT of in-airport businesses are closed so eat beforehand, don't count on grabbing anything significant in the airport.

Following up on this, I just did a round trip between Sacramento and Fort Lauderdale and the experience is definitely bearing a close resemblance to the pre-pandemic normal.  With a connection each way, 3 of the 4 flights were 90%-100% full.  On the Hawai'i flights I knew the passengers going over there had to have a negative test within 72 hours to avoid quarantine but obviously that bit of security is absent with the 48 states.  The airports are all quite crowded now and most of the inside-security businesses are open.

United hands out a little snack bag with a bottle of water and hands you the full unopened can of soda with a cup of ice.  Still no alcohol for sale on the plane.

The 1 of the 4 flights that was only about 40% full was on a 737 MAX.  Maybe coincidence, maybe not.  It made me wonder if people are leery about flying on the 737 MAX after they sat grounded for nearly 2 years while Boeing addressed the issues, but are willing to take their chances with Covid on a full airplane.  That might be an error in risk assessment.  I haven't read anything about low passenger loads on 737 MAX flights so maybe it was just that flight.

Pink Jazz

I flew into Puerto Rico last Saturday on United and JetBlue (PHX-DEN-MCO-BQN). My return will be on the 24th on BQN-MCO-IAH-PHX.

ftballfan

Quote from: ftballfan on March 03, 2021, 02:27:39 PM
I'll be flying for the first time since 2018 next week. Flying MCO-GRR on Southwest on the 11th and GRR-MCO on Frontier on the 12th. I've flown Southwest before a handful of times, but I've never flown Frontier. I'll be traveling extremely light (as in just toiletries) as it's just an up and back in order for me to take a pre-employment physical/drug test for a new job I'm starting at the end of this month. My family is currently on vacation in Florida and I drove down with my dad and the dogs and we're doing the drive back a few days before I start my new job.
My flight up on the 11th had only 38 passengers on a 737NG and I had a row to myself. However, it was a midweek morning departure out of MCO. Side note: the flight heading back south that day on that same plane from GRR (to Fort Myers) appeared to have much more than 38 people judging from the number of people at the gate.

Flying back on the 12th, my flight was a little more full (maybe between 80 to 100 on an A320), but there were still plenty of empty seats.

STLmapboy

Quote from: Pink Jazz on April 16, 2021, 04:41:01 AM
I flew into Puerto Rico last Saturday on United and JetBlue (PHX-DEN-MCO-BQN). My return will be on the 24th on BQN-MCO-IAH-PHX.
Quite the journey. But it's not like Aguadilla is the most accessible airport around.
Teenage STL area roadgeek.
Missouri>>>>>Illinois

Pink Jazz

Quote from: STLmapboy on April 18, 2021, 11:35:22 AM
Quote from: Pink Jazz on April 16, 2021, 04:41:01 AM
I flew into Puerto Rico last Saturday on United and JetBlue (PHX-DEN-MCO-BQN). My return will be on the 24th on BQN-MCO-IAH-PHX.
Quite the journey. But it's not like Aguadilla is the most accessible airport around.


I was originally supposed to fly United on PHX-EWR-BQN and back, but United postponed their restart date for BQN until May, which I do not want. I wanted to travel those particular two weeks in April, so I rebooked the United ticket to MCO and booked a separate ticket on JetBlue to BQN. My United ticket was booked with Wells Fargo points.

Duke87

I've taken four round trips by airplane in the past year, all of them purely for pleasure. Rented a car and spent a week roadgeeking on the far end.

I don't think it's really a big deal and have been happy to take advantage of flights and hotels being cheap. You have to wear a mask the whole time but compliance with this in my experience has been quite good. I've also been in the habit of making sure the air nozzle is blowing directly at my face the whole time (having that mix of fresh and filtered air be the bulk of what I'm inhaling is good for risk mitigation).
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

texaskdog

Quote from: Rothman on February 22, 2021, 04:08:13 PM
Nope.  My daughter was a contact tracer up until a month ago (switched over to scheduling vaccinations).  The number of people who fly while either unknowingly or even knowingly infected with the coronavirus was a lot higher than you'd think.

One case she had was an elderly woman who refused to give her flight number after she brought the virus with her to the Northeast from Florida.  Daughter got her to narrow it down to where they could ID the flight, though.

lol so much for all these precautions!! but it made people feel good.

STLmapboy

Here are the loads on my flights during spring break. Salt Lake is close to pre-pandemic levels, it feels like. The place was hopping.

March 14, Delta, STL-SLC, A220-300 (130 seats). Delta is the only airline blocking middles (through the 30th of April). Slightly less than 100 seats available, and everyone one was taken. So, technically, 100% full.


March 20, Southwest SLC-STL, 737-700 (143 seats). Southwest is not blocking seats. We were around 85% full and delayed 2 hours for a mechanical issue. I sat next to a guy connecting onward to San Antonio; we saw his plane taxiing to the runway as we pulled into the gate in STL.
Teenage STL area roadgeek.
Missouri>>>>>Illinois

formulanone

#49
Quote from: gonealookin on April 15, 2021, 09:07:20 PM
The 1 of the 4 flights that was only about 40% full was on a 737 MAX.  Maybe coincidence, maybe not.  It made me wonder if people are leery about flying on the 737 MAX after they sat grounded for nearly 2 years while Boeing addressed the issues, but are willing to take their chances with Covid on a full airplane.  That might be an error in risk assessment.  I haven't read anything about low passenger loads on 737 MAX flights so maybe it was just that flight.

I had a chance to be on a 737 MAX 9 last week, but United swapped it out for a 737-800 on the SMF-DEN leg the day before. I'm supposed to fly on one tomorrow or next Friday. I forget what the capacity was, but it appeared about 80% full as of last Monday, whereas the swapped out one was a "full flight" according to the flight leader. (It's been a long time since I'd heard that phrase.) So it's possible they just swapped it out in the name of balancing passenger loads; if they can mitigate risk or sell more seats on another destination, I suppose they'd do what makes the nest financial sense.

United also gives the option to swap out your itinerary if you're not inclined to fly on a 737 MAX, but I have no idea how they'd rebook you if it's not a common route with available options.



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