Social distancing on planes?

[RaySharpton]

American Airlines is not requiring passengers to wear masks. Jet Blue is requiring passengers to wear masks.

Hi, Mainsail Minnie.

That is correct about American Airlines.

Beginning May 1, American will require masks for all flight attendants, which will be available onboard. The airline will not require masks for passengers, but AA will begin distributing face masks, along with sanitizing wipes or gels, to passengers beginning in early May.

American
Aircraft cleaning
Currently, American is thoroughly cleaning aircraft during longer stops, but will expand this program to every mainline flight beginning in early May, including using an EPA-approved disinfectant to clean common customer touch points (arm rests, seat belts, overhead controls, etc.), along with cockpits, galleys and other crew areas.

Face masks
Beginning May 1, American will require masks for all flight attendants, which will be available onboard. The airline will not require masks for passengers, but AA will begin distributing face masks, along with sanitizing wipes or gels, to passengers beginning in early May.

Passenger loads
American is limiting the number of passengers on all flights through May 31, though this practice will vary from one aircraft to the next, and may not result in all middle seats being unoccupied. Currently, AA is blocking 50% of middle seats for selection, but not for sale — a gate agent may assign blocked seats only when necessary. Additionally, passengers will not be seated near flight attendant jump seats.

Other measures
American has also increased the frequency of cleaning areas it controls throughout the airport, including ticket counters, team member rooms and gates.

Jet Blue says,

All JetBlue crew members are required to wear face coverings, and, as of May 4, all passengers will be required to cover their nose and mouth as well, with the exception of small children who are unable to wear a face covering.

JetBlue
Aircraft cleaning
According to JetBlue, the airline is “applying disinfectant that is effective against coronavirus across aircraft interiors including the places customers touch most – the tray tables, seat covers, armrests and seatbelts.”

Face masks
All JetBlue crew members are required to wear face coverings, and, as of May 4, all passengers will be required to cover their nose and mouth as well, with the exception of small children who are unable to wear a face covering.

Passenger loads
The airline is limiting the number of seats it’s selling on “most” flights, and creating “buffer zones” near jump seats, to help keep flight attendants safe. Additionally, airline representatives are reviewing seat assignments and manually reseating customers to create more space, where possible.

Other measures
JetBlue is sanitizing surfaces throughout airport terminals more frequently, and implementing other measures to limit contact, such as encouraging customers to scan their own boarding passes.

 

[Starwind]

Hi, MrsBooch.

You're Welcome.

The info was quoted on April 29, 2020, but I'm sure these criteria will be changing constantly by each airline and airport.

Thank you for the update

American has updated again.

As an AAdvantage member I received an email from AA on Fri, May 1, 1:51 PM ET.

Subject: American to require customers to wear a face covering starting May 11

Quote form the body:

Kurt Stache, American's Senior Vice President of Customer Experience, talks about our new requirement for wearing masks in flight, our measures to keep you safe on board and how we're caring for the communities we serve.

Learn about our:
- New requirement for all customers to wear masks during flight beginning May 11, and recently announced requirements for flight attendants
- Measures to provide sanitizing wipes and face masks for customers on select flights
- Enhanced cleaning procedures to disinfect high-touch points throughout aircraft and increased cleaning at airports
- Commitment to caring for others through food donations and care packages
Your well-being is at the forefront of every decision we make, and we're committed to keeping you updated as we move forward. For additional information about these updates and other actions we're taking regarding COVID-19, please visit aa.com.

END QUOTE

It included this video:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/413810457
And a link to this AA page:
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info...?c=EML|NWS|20200501|CORP|MKT|SOLO||MaskUpdate
Which has this:

 

[Wendy1985]

So my question for those airlines requiring mask how do they expect passengers to stay hydrated

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

So my question for those airlines requiring mask how do they expect passengers to stay hydrated

I don't think passenger comfort is what they're thinking about now. It's all about avoiding lawsuits, regardless of whether the masks work or not. This kind of thing is going to continue in our society until a federal law is passed prohibiting lawsuits against companies by people who say it's the company's fault they contracted COVID.

 

[Wendy1985]

I don't think passenger comfort is what they're thinking about now. It's all about avoiding lawsuits, regardless of whether the masks work or not. This kind of thing is going to continue in our society until a federal law is passed prohibiting lawsuits against companies by people who say it's the company's fault they contracted COVID.

Call me naive but I dont see myself blaming a company if I catch any illness including covid 19, I will not even blam them for injury

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

Call me naive but I dont see myself blaming a company if I catch any illness including covid 19.

Me, either. I don't think most people would. But it's a fact that many companies and other institutions (schools, etc.) are afraid of the few who would sue. Lawsuits are expensive to defend, even when the company wins.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well, I've seen images on Facebook of some adaptable homemade masks.

First is the top of a package of wipes. You lip up the cover when you want to drink.

Other one is a gallon plastic water or milk jug. Cut off the back (opposite the handle) at an angle so it fits over your head, leaving the handle and cap intact. Turn it upside down and place it over your head, with the handle parallel to your nose. Mark, or have someone else mark, where your eyes are.

Take it off your head and cut out the eyes. Put it back on, with the cap in place. When you want a drink, unscrew the cap and grab a straw.

 

[focusondisney]

So my question for those airlines requiring mask how do they expect passengers to stay hydrated

It isn’t hard or a big mystery. I’m an RN & wear a mask for my 12 hour shift. You move the mask or take 1 side off, have a few swallows & replace the mask. You don’t need to completely remove it or keep it off for prolonged periods. And if you are well hydrated before you fly, you’re not going to get so dangerously dehydrated you need to constantly drink throughout the whole flight. The airlines aren’t offering g beverage service, so plan to take something onto the flight with you. You can certainly wear a mask & stay hydrated without too much effort.

 

[Wendy1985]

It isn’t hard or a big mystery. I’m an RN & wear a mask for my 12 hour shift. You move the mask or take 1 side off, have a few swallows & replace the mask. You don’t need to completely remove it or keep it off for prolonged periods. And if you are well hydrated before you fly, you’re not going to get so dangerously dehydrated you need to constantly drink throughout the whole flight. The airlines aren’t offering g beverage service, so plan to take something onto the flight with you. You can certainly wear a mask & stay hydrated without too much effort.

Thanks for the tips but what about long haul flights like 12 hr plus

 

[focusondisney]

Thanks for the tips but what about long haul flights like 12 hr plus

Are you going on a 12+ hour flight any time soon? If not, why even worry about it? No one is going to refuse you the right to eat & drink if you are on a plane for 12 hours. The point is, remove the mask as little as possible & for the shortest time necessary.

 

[Wendy1985]

Are you going on a 12+ hour flight any time soon? If not, why even worry about it? No one is going to refuse you the right to eat & drink if you are on a plane for 12 hours. The point is, remove the mask as little as possible & for the shortest time necessary.

No asking for others who might be travelling

 

[maxiesmom]

No asking for others who might be travelling

A mask will be necessary on many airlines. Remove it only for eating and drinking. They are not going to keep anyone from doing either.

 

[Sugardimples]

And what happens when someone takes off their mask and refuses to wear it? You know there are millions of people that think the rules don’t apply to them.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

And what happens when someone takes off their mask and refuses to wear it? You know there are millions of people that think the rules don’t apply to them.

That would be at the flight attendant's discretion. If someone gets too argumentative with the flight attendants, the pilot can land the plane and have them escorted off by security. It's happened before. Or they might get hauled away upon landing at the destination.

 

[Sugardimples]

Maybe they could add a security officer to each flight. I don’t think this should be on the flight attendant. People are getting shot over mask wearing. I realize that there won’t be guns on planes, but I think this puts the flight attendants in jeopardy.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

Maybe they could add a security officer to each flight. I don’t think this should be on the flight attendant. People are getting shot over mask wearing. I realize that there won’t be guns on planes, but I think this puts the flight attendants in jeopardy.

There is one isolated case in which a man was shot over a mask dispute. It is not something widespread, as your "people are getting shot" comment suggests. Other than that one tragic yet isolated shooting, there have been a few more minor physical confrontations, one in which a man was shoved into a lake for requesting social distancing, and one in which a person was attacked with a pole by a mask wearer because the person being attacked was not wearing a mask. Those were rare events, and aggressive behavior has been exhibited by people on both sides of the issue.

Security offers required on each flight to patrol mask usage is ridiculous. Not only is it completely unneccessary (flights are already requiring masks, with no reported incidents), but it would be extremely expensive for airlines who are already struggling to stay afloat financially. There is also no need to be so oppressive, for armed guards to constantly be present to enforce an airline's policy.

 

[mikehn]

I believe air marshalls are still working.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

I believe air marshalls are still working.

Yes, they are. But they are not on every flight, which is what the PP suggested is necessary to enforce mask compliance. Their schedules are kept secret, to keep the bad actors from knowing which flights are gusrded and which are not, but logic suggests that they are probably not on the majority of the thousands of daily flights that occur in the U.S.

They also try to stay inconspicuous (dress & act like ordinary passengers) unless an emergency arises. And a passenger quibbling with a stewardess is not typically an emergency. If someone got violent, it would be, but that has not happened on any airline since this requirement has been instated, and seems unlikely to ever happen. There is no place to escape to when you're on a plane. Anyone who gets violent is going to be arrested upon landing. And the mask requirement is spelled out to passengers in advance- so no one going to be taken by surprise when told to wear one.

 

[spiders]

And let’s not forget that the security guard that was shot over a mask was in Flint. Had it not been for the pandemic then it would have been just one of the many shootings of the hour in Flint.

 

[gatour]

There is one isolated case in which a man was shot over a mask dispute. It is not something widespread, as your "people are getting shot" comment suggests. Other than that one tragic yet isolated shooting, there have been a few more minor physical confrontations, one in which a man was shoved into a lake for requesting social distancing, and one in which a person was attacked with a pole by a mask wearer because the person being attacked was not wearing a mask. Those were rare events, and aggressive behavior has been exhibited by people on both sides of the issue.

Security offers required on each flight to patrol mask usage is ridiculous. Not only is it completely unneccessary (flights are already requiring masks, with no reported incidents), but it would be extremely expensive for airlines who are already struggling to stay afloat financially. There is also no need to be so oppressive, for armed guards to constantly be present to enforce an airline's policy.

The person shoved into the lake was a PARK RANGER. Plus is it acceptable for a person to get shot or beat up over wearing or not wearing a mask. I would not consider these minor physical confrontations.

The new policies about requiring mask have only been in effect for a couple of days, so the data point in regards to "no reported incidents" is currently inconclusive.

I don't disagree that armed guards each flight would be excessive.