This idiotic middle seat outrage

[Left Seater]

As people return somewhat to domestic travel airlines are trying to meet this increased (from April and May lows) demand. They continue to restore flights and routes.

However, it is damn near daily that we see news stories of passengers shocked at the lack of social distancing on planes. It is as if these people expect they should be flying but everyone else should stay home. Sorry snowflakes, charter a plane if you want a private flight, don’t just buy an airline ticket.

To make things worse for these snowflakes some airlines are seeing enough demand that they are no longer blocking middle seats. Now every seat on the plane will be sold on some airlines. This has kicked off new rounds of news stories and social media posts about how scared these snowflakes were and how someone should hold the airlines accountable.

Now a snowflake idiot (Team D Oregon) in Congress want to legislate the middle seat. He says he will introduce a bill that would ban the sale of middle seats during the pandemic. He is shocked that people aren’t social distancing on planes so he will for e it. Uh no you won’t.

Newsflash with facts: Just blocking middle seats does nothing to achieve social distancing on a plane. Take a typical 737 that will have 155-170 seats. To truly achieve social distancing on this plane you could have at most 2 passengers in every other row. This would mean 39-42 passengers at most per flight.

At that rate ticket prices would need to be over $1200 per direction to make it work for the airline. So $2400 plus per person to go to see your family this summer. Of course those snowflakes would freak out about that as well.

So please stop bitching about how many people are on planes or how the middle seat next to you was sold. Either buy up to first, charter a flight or don’t fly. Those are your options.

[Innocent Bystander]

It is as if these people expect they should be flying but everyone else should stay home.
In a word, yes. I gave up on giving a fuck after watching the nth white woman bring her untrained and undisciplined 'comfort animal' on board instead of checking it in with the real animal lovers' crates, though. Entitlement is the American way.

Sorry snowflakes, charter a plane if you want a private flight, don’t just buy an airline ticket. 
There aren't enough mileage points for that.
Now you're looking at real costs, versus 'deals'.

Do the airlines have disclaimers about sales of middle seats?

If passengers want the middle seat free, it's not like planes are completely decontaminated between flights, anyway. One group exits, the other boards, hour tops.

Airlines SHOULD bump the costs up. Then the snowflakes can vote with their pocketbooks instead of platitudes.

[Mikey]

I didn’t like flying before the Covid. Think I’ll just skip it completely for the foreseeable future.

Going to Tahoe City next month and could fly to either Sacramento or Reno, but I’m actually looking forward to the 9 hour drive up the eastern side of the Sierra.

[Wolfman]

at 6'3" I am never really comfortable in steerage class, but it is what it is. My only gripe is that middle seat should get 2 arm rests.

[Left Seater]

Southwest is marketing that they will keep middle seats unsold thru end of September. However, the small print also says they reserve the right to change their mind on that.

There are certainly plenty of folks that agree with Mikey and prefer a drive over flying. I am not one of those people. I will always fly if it is an option. I don’t get taking 9 hours each way for the drive. Hell I don’t get a two hour drive if one can fly, but to each their own.

And totally agree with Wolfie. Those in the middle seats get both armrests.

[Left Seater]

If true this hurts Creepy/Sleepy Joe more than Trump.

Is this something Cheeto and West worked out to keep Cheeto in the White House.

[Innocent Bystander]

Instead of starting a new thread, since this one has "idiotic" in the title, I'll just leave this here.

He told us he would run in 2020 years ago. Unlike Will Smith and Alec Baldwin, he's actually doing it.

Let him run. He has a constitutional right. No harm, no foul. Especially this year.

TPTB have ready decided who will win.

[Bill in Houston]

He may be off his meds again.

[The Big Pickle]

He may be off his meds again.

FUKKK OFF AND DIE, FAGGOT!

[Mikey]

Southwest is marketing that they will keep middle seats unsold thru end of September. However, the small print also says they reserve the right to change their mind on that.

There are certainly plenty of folks that agree with Mikey and prefer a drive over flying. I am not one of those people. I will always fly if it is an option. I don’t get taking 9 hours each way for the drive. Hell I don’t get a two hour drive if one can fly, but to each their own.

And totally agree with Wolfie. Those in the middle seats get both armrests.

For a two hour drive it’s a no brainer, at least for me and the rest of the unwashed masses. By the time I drive to the airport, find a $30 per day parking spot, make my way to the terminal, go through security, wait around for boarding, sit on the runway, spend whatever time it takes in the air, wait for a gate, follow the heard out of the plane, pick up a rental or an Uber, and get to my destination, that two hour drive has turned into a four hour (or longer) ordeal.

These days if I have to go to downtown LA, about a two hour drive from here, I will 100% take Amtrak.

Also, the nine hour drive from here to Tahoe takes you through plenty of places that are worth seeing.

BTW...how does Southwest not sell the center seats when they use open seating? Do they only sell 2/3 of the capacity and block off the middle seats? What if a family of three wants to sit together?

[Left Seater]

They are only selling about 60% of the available seats. They prevent people from sitting in the first and last rows so no passengers are within 6 feet of the waitresses in their jump seats. This reduced amount of seat sales ensures no one has to sit in a middle seat. However if a family of three wants to all sit together they can.

As for a 2 hour drive vs flight here is my timing. Leave my house in SAT as boarding is called 35 mins before departure. 8 minute Uber ride. Then 30 minute flight or less. Then 10 minute Uber ride on the other end. All total maybe an hour 15 total.

[Innocent Bystander]

They are only selling about 60% of the available seats.

How long will that last as demand increases?


.... All total maybe an hour 15 total.
And that's why we fly.

[Left Seater]

It won’t last a second as demand increases.

[BSmack]

Planning a trip to Georgia this November. I can make the drive in 16 hours. Beats being in an airborne virus incubator.

[Wolfman]

Props to your courage Bri---taking on the higher risk of driving. Wish you a safe journey. That begs the question are New Yorkers allowed into Georgia these days?

[Innocent Bystander]

It won’t last a second as demand increases.

Then why get people's hopes artificially up for an unsustainable offer? Small print sucks.

(It's not like First class meets standards itself. Easy chair versus folding chair, big whoop. First class needs to be blocked, too.)

Charge a big premium for flights guaranteed to have middle seat blocked, have certain route times be those flights. Other flights first come first serve, never guaranteed middle seat blocked.

[Left Seater]

Not really workable. Let’s say that first flight with guaranteed seats blocked goes mechanical and cancels. Those pax that paid extra for this flight now are either due a refund or have to wait 24 hours for another shot. If that next days flight is full they are screwed again.

[smackaholic]

Planning a trip to Georgia this November. I can make the drive in 16 hours. Beats being in an airborne virus incubator.

This^^^^^

Yeah, it’s a long drive, but a very nice one, if you’re going down I-81.

If you’re doing it solo, maybe fly. But 2 or more people?

Rent something nice and make the journey there part of the fun.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Left Seater]

^^^^^^^^^^

Nope. Driving that far is way riskier than flying.

[BSmack]

How? I drive the first eight to 10 hours because I can't sleep for shit in a moving vehicle. Wife fuels up with sleep because she could sleep though an air raid. Last 6 hours the wife drives though Neckcar's birthplace and into north of the perimeter ATL.

The general jist of it is to leave early enough so the you are Almost in North Carolina by high noon. How we travel depends on if it's a nor'easter or lake effect snow that is our biggest problem.

Under normal conditions I would fly. These are not normal conditions.

[Left Seater]

Please link us up to even a handful of cases of theRona flu that have been positively linked back to airplane travel.

And driving long distance in a car is way riskier that flying long distance. So without facts to back up the Rona flu spread on planes to other passengers, what is the fear.

Well, wait. Fear often isn’t fact based.

[Innocent Bystander]

Please link us up to even a handful of cases of theRona flu that have been positively linked back to airplane travel.

Challenge accepted.

https://www.latimes.com/california/stor ... nes-flying


Also, between the lines for Alaska specifically:
https://www.ktoo.org/2020/07/07/why-ala ... unstaffed/ : passengers skipping screening because airports can't staff enough to both test and also keep passengers from intentionally skipping testing

https://fortune.com/2020/06/24/airlines ... infection/ : passengers internationally are intentionally hiding positive test results and symptoms

https://thepointsguy.com/news/alaska-co ... t-testing/ : Hawaii follows Alaska's lead to require testing before flying

[Left Seater]

So, not a single thing in that article said the people who died had their exposure contact traced to being on an airplane. In fact a good number of the people mentioned don't even work onboard. HR, ramp, food service, etc.

Try again.

[Innocent Bystander]

So, not a single thing in that article said the people who died had their exposure contact traced to being on an airplane. In fact a good number of the people mentioned don't even work onboard. HR, ramp, food service, etc.

Try again.

First link is Jet Blue flight attendants.

The second link ends with the connect-the-dots news that Alaska's flattened curve plumped out again.

[Left Seater]

I got that. But those JetBlue waitresses live in NYC area. You know the epicenter of the Rona flu in the US as this thing kicked off.

Please show the contact tracing that shows they got if from being on a plane and not from their neighborhood or community.

[Bill in Houston]

Lefty.

Are you THAT fukking stupid?

Really???

The airline can only transmit the virus IF YOU RIDE ON THE PLANE???!?!?!??!

Really???

You don’t understand anything about how airborne virus is transmitted? After months of being inundated with daily info about what’s going on?

You seriously need to slow yourself down. Do some reading. Go ahead and have someone help you with that. Don’t be so embarrassed to seek education.

Though I predict you will come back blathering about your idiocy and not heed this good message, at least I attempt to make this place better.

[Left Seater]

So now airlines can get the Rona flu? And you want to call others stupid.

Again, there is no evidence that being a passenger or crew on an airplane leads to increased risk of getting this flu. Hell, the air on a plane is likely cleaner than that in your home.