What it's like to fly now

We've been on a couple of flights in the past where they loaded the plane from back to front, and you're right; it's much more efficient.

I just flew back to Seattle from Hawaii on a Hawaiian Airlines plane (a 330) that had only 50 passengers onboard. Masks were required when entering the Honolulu airport, waiting for boarding, and supposedly on the plane. I did see at least one person without mask but no flight attendants said anything to that person. We were served a packet of junk treats early during the flight and then later a pastry type thing containing BBQ beef and cheese that I was able to only eat half of it. I had brought several clift bars but forgot all about them. They also gave us a bottle of water. Later during the flight, while I was standing up next to a bathroom doing a little exercise, I asked a flight attendant if they had anything else to drink besides water and he said that they had pop so I got a can of pop. Landing in Seattle at midnight I went down to baggage claim and there were very few people in the airport or at baggage claim. It took very little time to get my suitcase probable due to the few items checked in. My wife picked me up out at the curb for a 30 minute ride home. I am now quarantined for 14 days here in Seattle not because I came from Hawaii or have any symptoms but because I just spent 6 hours in an airplane with 49 other folks who may have been sick. The quarantine does not seem unusual since I had just spent 2 months quarantined in Hawaii. I would have stayed in Hawaii where their virus rates are so much lower than Washington state except for the requirement that I return to my home medical coverage area within 6 months of leaving which is on July 1st. 18 dead in Hawaii and 1,320 dead in Washington.

I remember flying back in the 60s, 70s and 80s, the airlines boarded the tourist class starting with those in the rear of the aircraft. Back then, people brought less carryon luggage. Filling up the aircraft was way faster than it is done today.

Glad it went relatively uneventful. It would be nice if the airlines told you when there would be no food or drinks for longer flights so you can prepare, I guess you are just supposed to know that.

The pilots did not come out of the cockpit to say good bye as they usually do when we got off

They do that? I have seen pilots standing in the forward galley at both loading and unloading times on the airlines I fly, but it is not a consistent thing and they are mostly getting coffee and not really interacting with the passengers.

The pilots did not come out of the cockpit to say good bye as they usually do when we got off

They do that?

For sure. In fact, I thought that was a universal thing these days. I always appreciate being able to look them in the eye and thank the pilots. I usually fly Delta, but I have also flown Swissair, Air Canada, United, El Al, Qantas and Hawaiian Air in recent years, and it seems to me I always see the pilots at the cockpit door when we disembark.

We flew AA on 6/29, PHX-PHL and then a CRJ to a smaller airport. Flights were all full. We had a two hour drive to airport and could only get coffee at PHX. . Boarding was OK. Deplaning was chaotic. No one followed the instructions to wait until the row in front of you was walking off the aircraft, Bedlam. The fight attendants should stand by the row allowed to get off like ushers do at church services for weddings, Christmas, Easter. Simple.
Every passenger was given a small paper bag with a very small bottle of water, and a minuscule snack. A mini hand sanitizer packet too which might clean half of one hand.
In both airports everyone wore masks.
I would only fly again if absolutely necessary until this pandemic is under control. We shipped luggage ahead which we often do.

Random pre virus observations:
Yes, I thought having at least one person from the cockpit standing at the door to say goodbye was "normal"
George, people bring more carryons now to avoid paying to check

I remember getting an email a couple of yrs ago saying that my flight in 5 days was going to employ an experimental boarding process.... allowing window passengers for the whole plane on 1st, then all of the middle seat passengers, and finally all of aisle seats people. I read the email several times w fear and trepidation. However, when u got to the airport it was boarding as usual. Any one else get that message?

We had a couple short SWA flights these last two weeks. Each time we headed directly to the back of the plane where several rows had only one person. The only crowding was at the gate in order to hear the groups of ten passengers at a time called. Waiting area appeared crowded at Baltimore Washington but we waited in an empty ares. Masks required. Middle seats empty. Drove home, put airplane clothes directly into the washing machine, showered. Emptied contents of our carry-ons and left the empty suitcases in the garage. Your do what you gotta do, but real carefully and weighing the risk of each step you take.

Nothing unusual except wearing masks all the time and longer procedures.

Similar flight dates , cross country flights, but on AA and our experience was disgraceful!

Unless it is a medical emergency or death in a family, why are you flying? Stay home, and please listen to the medical experts. If you want to travel in the future, you need to do the right thing NOW.

Hear , Hear Susan.
You are absolutely right.

Let's just all keep planning our future travels from the safety of home; while we stay home now to make sure that there WILL be future travels.

"We are all isolating now to make sure that when we can get back together, no one is missing."

We'll know in about a week if we made it through without getting
infected with the virus!

The blindspot with this thinking is it ignores that asymptomatic people can infect others unknowingly. I agree with the prior comments...don't put yourself in the chain of propagating this virus by flying all over the place, however comfortably - that's how it spread globally in the first place.

I have flown several times in the past 3 months on SWA. They remain committed to limiting cabin capacity to 2/3 (keeping the middle seats empty). They also require masks to board and throughout the flight. My observations:

Early on, in late May and early June, mask wearing was at best only 80%, especially in the airports. I saw people walking around or coming out of the restrooms maskless. That has gotten much better now - nearly 100% from what I have seen. SWA has been boarding in groups of 10, and I haven't noticed any crowding at the date waiting to board. In one case, the flight attendant was holding people from entering the plane until the aisle cleared of people getting settled. People keep their distance waiting in the jet bridge. Service is extremely limited, some water and a bad of snacks. No other choices and they only come around a few times to collect garbage.

The one thing that is still an issue is deplaning. People still jump up and crowd the aisle. I just sit and wait for things to clear up to my seat.

In some cases the flights are pretty empty. In others it seemed the flight was at "capacity." At no time have I sat in a row with more than 2 people.

I personally will not fly AA or United or other airlines willing to fill a plane and with weak mask policies. I am fortunate to have plenty of options and can easily take SWA where I am going. But I feel for those that cannot.

My brother-in-law travels from ORD to NYC weekly... he says the front of the planes are pretty well social distance with everyone wearing masks and the back of the plane passengers are seated every other seat with masks. He flies American Airlines mostly but sometimes United. He mentioned that he sees more "airport" workers NOT wearing masks in the last month.

Things he said that surprised him as the result of the "shut down" are - LaGuardia is ahead of schedule with it's renovation. Highways and roads are being completed at faster paces since there are fewer drivers.