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safety

lrmorgan55
Explorer C

The new SWA policy to fill the middle seat is horrible and shows poor judgement and respect for passengers.  While passengers are asked to keep the mask over their nose and mouth, many do not, and even worse when eating and drinking water, leave it off. Even the ariline attendant on a recent flight had the mask hanging off of her mouth while speaking and as we were deboarding.  Most of us are uncomfortable even flying, but to be crammed in like cattle during the Winter COVID surge of both cases and fatalities shows very poor respect for passenger safety.  I have flown almost every weekend since March due to my work/home situation, and really felt that I could prevent COVID contact until now.  I am planning to investigate other airlines due to the terrible experience I had today with a completely full flight.

4 REPLIES 4

Re: safety

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A
Solution

You could share your thoughts with Southwest by contacting them directly. 

Contact Customer Relations

I think Delta may be the only remaining airline blocking seats?

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: safety

dfwskier
Aviator A

@lrmorgan55 wrote:

The new SWA policy to fill the middle seat is horrible and shows poor judgement and respect for passengers.  While passengers are asked to keep the mask over their nose and mouth, many do not, and even worse when eating and drinking water, leave it off. Even the ariline attendant on a recent flight had the mask hanging off of her mouth while speaking and as we were deboarding.  Most of us are uncomfortable even flying, but to be crammed in like cattle during the Winter COVID surge of both cases and fatalities shows very poor respect for passenger safety.

 

  I have flown almost every weekend since March due to my work/home situation, and really felt that I could prevent COVID contact until now.

 

Not to worry. most planes are no more than 33-40% full now. I went out on Dec 2.on a 175 seat SW plane with about 45 passengers. No middle seats were occupied and about half the aisle and window seats were empty too.

 

You can tell how few passenger are flying by looking at TSA passenger numbers:

https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput

 

 

  I am planning to investigate other airlines due to the terrible experience I had today with a completely full flight.

 

I'll make your search easy. There will be only one after 1/1/21: Delta.

 

All other airlines will be filling middle seats by then. They believe the published data which indicates it is very difficult to catch the bug on a plane.

 

About the only way to catch the bug on a plane is to have someone cough / sneeze right in your unmasked face.


 

Re: safety

jksobonya
Aviator A

It's really not. Southwest is doing what it can, no doubt, to make as much money as possible because flight capacity is still incredibly low. Speaking as one who just flew this weekend, my planes averaged 1/2 full - if that. The middle seat was empty anyway and for some flights of the trip (I had multiple stops) I had a whole row to myself.

 

I for one can't wait to see planes back at full capacity again, but I will enjoy all the extra room while it lasts 😉 

 

--Jessica

safety

SWFlyer007
Aviator C

@jksobonya Even prior to COVID, I've never been excited about full flights.  To each their own, but here's to you getting every flight where your row is full.