Airline restrictions during the pandemic
Interesting article in the Wall Street Journal on the restrictions that airlines are placing on flights or considering during the crisis. The bottom line is that nobody is sure what to do and how to make flying safe. Some of the things that were mentioned:
Temperature checks
The Trump administration is preparing to roll out temperature checks conducted by the TSA at some airports. Some airlines are taking passengers' temperatures and airports are using thermal scanning to check crowds.Health declarations
Dutch carrier KLM asks passengers from high-risk areas to affirm their health before flying. The carrier reserves the right to keep passengers it deems ill off the plane.Boarding
Air France is boarding the back of the plane first, making business class and other higher fare passengers wait.On board
China Southern and other carriers are not seating passengers in the middle seat, or spacing them out through the cabin. Xiamen Air keeps the last three rows free for ill passengers.The lavatory
Ryanair, Europe’s budget carrier, is requiring passengers to raise their hand and seek permission to use the bathroom.
Comments
Ooh, hall pass for Ryanair!
Speaking of POS airlines, I read a funny story on a comedic, fake news website. They had a story about Frontier considering your mask as your personal item...
We had our temperatures taken before boarding on our flights in Malaysia, but not in the US on our return. Business class on Qatar always board the plane last and send a special more comfortable bus to get out to the plane. I liked not having to be on the plane longer, business class or not.
Would be nice if airlines came up with a way to get yourself in an virtual queue for bathrooms. Smartphone app? When you want to go you request, then get an alert when you can get up and which bathroom to head to. One of those improvements that could make flying better even after this crisis is done.
Temperature checks are soso. Fast result tests (accurate ones) would be better.