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Is it all really worth it Mask Mania

Mclar385
Explorer C

The Story:

Flight from a new destination OGG to SAN

Great flight time and non stop

The horror begins when boarding the 35% full flight in which the flight attendant has told you numerous times to just take any seat the whole plane is available.

You get to row 24 and you see the FA from hell standing with crossed arms and a scowl on his quite aged face telling you to find other seats that he is keeping the back 6 rows closed.  So as a person myself who chose row 22 and a big family with small children behind wanting to be as far a way from others as possible now left with having to pick the last few rows which were filled, it seemed funny the sarcastic tone of the initial flight attendant was a moot point now as the older FA trumped what she was so aggressively stating and the games began.

The older FA was just beginning his obvious displeasure for life and his job by micromanaging how the passengers were wearing their masks.  He has stopped several as well as the other older female FA to scold someone to wear a mask properly.

I'm not sure about others but i personally have been vaccinated since March and knowing Maui covid rules i would make a comfortable decision personally to not swat a old hornets nest and possibly focus on something else.  Possible try practicing some genuine friendly service.  Or has that also been taken away from a FA handbook.  It seems they claim to just be on the plane for safety and they do nothing else.

Well back to the flight that never could.

So they walk the isles and just hand every person a snack pack and immediately after the Old Scowl FA now approaches my husband and says that the mask must be worn between chews and sips.

OMG LOL is this literally a loony bin.  Without any hesitation i stated that the policy is written so as to not allow those guests who take an unusually long time to eat and drink to replace their masks accordingly.  

Obviously this older FA is unaware of the use of semicolon in a sentence and cherry picks selective words to dictate the policy.

If the policy is written as i believe it is meant it states masks can be taken off for the time for drink and eating but not a long period between such actions.  It is not written to state the in between each bite and sip you must replace your mask.  This would be really quite absurd.

I challenged the older FA and he then threatened me with strict action if i did not comply with his orders.

Forgive me but i have noticed this and read about this type of behavior from FA and it was the first time i experienced it.  I am traditionally a quiet traveler but don't push me around.  Most FA can read a plane and passengers well but this one no.

So a question up for discussion.  Was i incorrect in reading THE POLICY AS IT IS WRITTEN BY SOUTHWEST, regarding the times a mask can be removed and the time frame?

Now here is the kicker after this experience with the older FA the female FA travels down the isles and picks me out and states i must wear my mask correct as she can see my nose.  At this point i just see it as FA not understanding the idea of an experience.

I am curious in training are FA's taught the fine art of travel and hospitality.

I may be off the mark but being a FA on a 5 plus hour flight to a predominant vacation destination would you not want to treat your guests as you would like to be treated.  Really, i just finished a 2 week vacation ( in beautiful Maui) which would most likely be one of my last due to some degenerative health issues to then be on a plane with a crew of unhappy misinformed dictators.  What happened to the Southwest fun and unique experience.  I felt more like i was on a AA flight from  BOS to PHL.

So i get it.  We all have tough jobs and we all have stuff we deal with.  But i dont think our bosses pay us to complain about how hard our jobs are if you cant take it then they say get out of the kitchen.

I for one will not again fly Southwest airlines.  I will donate my remaining 15k points to a charity.  But do peers of the industry really think the policy is written that in between every bite sip and chew the mask is to be replaced.  Or is the policy that a reasonable amount of time to consume your just delivered snack is ok to not wear a mask but after a reasonable time it must be returned to its proper position.  So funny to take such a harsh point with guests when we are on the back end of this pandemic.  Its a good time to stress the friendly positive ways one another can contribute not stress the ways in which TA will micromanage the flight in the beginning and berate the guests.  Guess what an hour into the flight all quiet no FA scolding guests no guest issues.  So was it all worth it?

Mask fights food and mask problems mask proper wearing problems.

I don't think so.  Times sure are changing be part of a better tomorrow not part of a miserable today TAs.

When the Federal law requires Customers to wear a mask
Customers will be required to wear a mask over their nose and mouth at all times during their Southwest travel experience—while checking in, boarding, while in flight, deplaning, retrieving baggage; and any other time they may engage with a Southwest Employee or another Customer. Customers are required to wear a mask in order to board the plane.
The following are times when a Customer may need to briefly remove their mask:
When necessary for identity verification purposes such as during Transportation Security Administration screening or when asked to do so by our Employees or any law enforcement official
While eating, drinking, or taking oral medications. Prolonged periods of mask removal are not permitted for eating or drinking; the mask must be worn between bites and sips.

        

6 REPLIES 6

Re: Is it all really worth it Mask Mania

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Is there a TLDR version?

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Is it all really worth it Mask Mania

CupCrusher40
Frequent Flyer B

not   at  all. 99%  survival  rate. 

Re: Is it all really worth it Mask Mania

jksobonya
Aviator A

I stopped reading for comprehension when I got to the part where your flight was 35% full. This happened in July of 2021? I don’t believe it. I would believe July 2020. Maybe this flight experience is a year old … 

 

But that aside, you have to wear your mask at all times except eating or drinking and they encourage not taking your mask completely off. I don’t like it either.

 

Ironically, I was just in Vegas for 3 days. I am flying home right now on a MAX. No mask requirements anywhere in Vegas anymore. Saw 3 sold out shows each night (no distancing, packed rows of people) with over 1500 in attendance. A handful wear masks still, and many workers do, but the public does not. But as soon as you enter the airport, 100% masks. Flights with less than 200 people? 100% masks. It’s gotten silly now, but that’s just my opinion. Rules are rules and there is nothing any of us can do about it. 

 

—Jessica

Re: Is it all really worth it Mask Mania

PetertheProphet
Adventurer B

@jksobonya wrote:

I stopped reading for comprehension when I got to the part where your flight was 35% full. This happened in July of 2021? I don’t believe it. I would believe July 2020. Maybe this flight experience is a year old … 

 

But that aside, you have to wear your mask at all times except eating or drinking and they encourage not taking your mask completely off. I don’t like it either.

 

Ironically, I was just in Vegas for 3 days. I am flying home right now on a MAX. No mask requirements anywhere in Vegas anymore. Saw 3 sold out shows each night (no distancing, packed rows of people) with over 1500 in attendance. A handful wear masks still, and many workers do, but the public does not. But as soon as you enter the airport, 100% masks. Flights with less than 200 people? 100% masks. It’s gotten silly now, but that’s just my opinion. Rules are rules and there is nothing any of us can do about it. 

 

—Jessica


Actually, there's PLENTY you can do about it. Never heard of civil disobedience? As an example, segregation used to exist here in the U.S. and many (like yourself) said that "rules were rules" and that there was "nothing" anyone could do about it.

 

Well, guess what? Civil disobedience led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and over fifty years later, the U.S. is almost unrecognizable to someone who lived during the Jim Crow era. 

 

Of course, you could complain and pretend as if imaginary rules regarding masking are set in stone, but complaining won't solve anything and pretending as if there's nothing anyone can do about it is dishonest. 

Re: Is it all really worth it Mask Mania

jksobonya
Aviator A

@PetertheProphet wrote:


Actually, there's PLENTY you can do about it. Never heard of civil disobedience?


Well, I'd rather not disobey the law and get fined, thrown in jail, or be put on a no fly list.

 

--Jessica

Re: Is it all really worth it Mask Mania

YeahNoMaybe
Adventurer A

You asked:

 

"But do peers of the industry really think the policy is written that in between every bite sip and chew the mask is to be replaced.  Or is the policy that a reasonable amount of time to consume your just delivered snack is ok to not wear a mask but after a reasonable time it must be returned to its proper position."

 

I have taken four flights on Southwest since you made your post on Saturday.  (2 flights in each direction of a trip.)

 

After reading your post, I paid close attention to the announcements the flight attendants made. 

 

On three of the four flights (all with different crews), the flight attendants used the phrase "replace your mask between sips and bites."

 

Three of the four used that EXACT phrase.  Not between "drinks and bites" or "gulps and chews."  Three of them specifically said "replace your masks between sips and bites." 

 

It was obvious they were reading from a prepared script.  

 

I would guess that is the policy.