Social distance seating . How many passengers per row of seating?

[davedurfee]

Wait a minute.  People may fly for plenty of reasons OTHER than because it's recognized by the experts that it's safe to fly.  They may fly because they are desperate to be with family or friends over the holiday.  They may fly because they would rather get CD19 than live in a locked down world.  They may fly because they assume that Southwest believes it's safe to fly!  And when they do any of those things, they put someone like me (over 70, high risk group) in danger.  

But apparently Southwest doesn't care, is that what you're telling me?  Every other business in the country is shut down or enforces social distancing, but Southwest is going to ignore it -- if people want to fill up the plane and have to sit side by side to do it, that's up to them and Southwest is not going to stop them.  Right?

I assume if there is only one seat left, and it's next to me, a 70+ year old, and the final passenger wants to sit there, I will either have to let them sit there or get off the plane myself.  Right?

[TheMiddleSeat]

Why are you getting so worked up about some hypothetical that is NOT going to happen?

--TheMiddleSeat

[davedurfee]

You don't know that for a second, my friend.  Either does Southwest.  And I'm getting "worked up" because the consequence of you and Southwest guessing wrong is that I could be crammed next to someone who has Coronavirus.  Because for some reason Southwest apparently believes that they should be exempt from abiding by and enforcing the social distancing rules that every other business in the country has to adhere to.

[TheMiddleSeat]

Ok @davedurfee, let's play your little game. IF your flight was full then it's probably safe to say that overall flights on that day are reasonably full You certainly wouldn't have just one crowded flight while every other one was empty. All together that's a good number of people, right? Now think about all of those people walking around the airport, waiting in line at security, waiting at the gates, boarding planes, waiting at baggage claim, using the restrooms, buying food, getting on parking lot or rental car shuttles.

Gee, there's not enough room for social distancing during any of that if flight loads are high. So you're going to be upset at Southwest? What about every other part of your journey? Are airports going to put out of order signs on urinals closer than 6 feet apart and make people wait in line with 6 feet of separation? If you want to space out every line at the airport, there just isn't enough space with higher numbers of passengers flying. There's not 6 feet between the aisle and the window on a 737 so you can't even walk down the aisle without breaking the "rules".

These same "rules" you talk about also say travel should be done only if essential. So now we're screaming about following social distancing, but not the part about limiting travel? 

Whenever flights get back to full-ish it will be when people feel safe enough to not distance themselves, not while that is still a priority.

--TheMiddleSeat

[davedurfee]

So you're saying that airlines should not be required or expected to have any in-flight social distancing rules.  Leave it up to entirely to their customers.  If their customers "feel safe enough to not distance themselves," that is all that matters.  Right?

By that way of thinking, no business or agency whatsoever -- essential or nonessential - need have social distancing rules at all.  Uber, dentist offices, courtrooms, city council meetings, homeowner's association meetings, restaurants and ballparks  should all be back fully open tomorrow with no restrictions at all on social distancing - because if their customers and participants "feel safe enough to not distance themselves" that's all that matters.

Yeah, sure, that makes sense.  Or maybe it's that airlines executives are used to thinking that the rules that apply to every other business and agency in the country shouldn't apply to them or limit their ability to keep the income flowing in.  And if people are too stupid to stay off their airplanes, that's their own damned problem.

[dfwskier]

Absolute social distancing on a plane is impossible. When you enter the plane and walk past anyone in any seat, you are closer than six seet. Since planes are empty and SW allows it, pick any seat you want - I suspect you'll find a lot that allow 20 feet of social distancing.

IT IS UP TO YOU to practice social distancing.

Social distancing in a food store is impossible too. Walk past another person in aisle. Yup, within 6 feet.  In line to check out?  IT IS UP TO YOU to practice social distancing, and yes, someone behind you may not use the 6 foot rule. Last time I checked, none of them have "checkout police" to enforce the rule.

Are you complaining to Home Depot, Walmart , Kroger and any other store that is open?

If not, why not. It IS the same situation.

If you feel that strongly about it, DON"T FLY.

Besides, you should only be out on essential business. Is your Memorial Day trip essential business? If not, why are you ignoring that rule?

[davedurfee]

Home Depot, Walmart and Kroger don't cram me into a seat where I am literally touching the stranger sitting next to me for an hour and a half!  You think that is the same as someone walking past me 3 feet away for 3 seconds???

And while it's none of your damned business what I'm doing over the Memorial Day weekend,  I'ms visiting my brother one last time before he passes away -- assuming he even makes it that long.

Does Southwest pay you to make these stupid arguments?

[TheMiddleSeat]

@davedurfee sorry to hear about your brother. As I said originally, I don't believe you will have anywhere near a full flight so there's no reason at all to be angry at Southwest or anyone else posting here. Also no point in trying to compare current air travel to shopping at a grocery store, it's apples and oranges when looking at the numbers of people. If I had to somewhere to go I would feel safer flying than going to Home Depot. 

--TheMiddleSeat

[davedurfee]

It looks like the President of Southwest agrees with me.  No middle seat occupancy unless it's by someone who is with you.  

So much for my unreasonable ranting.

[TheMiddleSeat]

Still ridiculous screaming about flights over the Memorial Day thinking they will be full. 

Have a nice trip. 

--TheMiddleSeat