American Airlines Gets Rid of Social Distancing Measures
Starting July 1, American Airlines will get rid of its recently introduced social distancing rules. The airline said it would start selling flights to capacity, abandoning caps on passenger loads that were put in place during the coronavirus pandemic.
American will continue to notify passengers when they’re booked on a crowded flight. It will also let those who are concerned about social distancing change their reservations at no cost, the airline said in a statement Friday.
Starting June 30, American also will ask customers to certify they have been free of Covid-19 symptoms for at least 14 days.
In April, American Airlines began holding open half of middle seats in economy class when possible. “That was before we had extensive cleaning initiatives, face mask requirements and an extension of waivers for customers,” said Ross Feinstein, a spokesman for the airline.
Empty seats make it difficult for airlines to make flights profitable. It is likely that there’s a higher risk of spreading infections when more people are crammed together in a plane. But it is also impossible to keep passengers 6 feet apart even with some of the social distancing efforts airlines have made.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the old king of travel rewards cards. Right now
bonus_miles_full
Learn more about this card and its features!
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Just got back from st Croix on AA. Full flight on June 19 from MIA-STX so it’s been done already. Attendants on flight back from STX were afraid to ask several to put mask back on. Couple next to us had the idea they could have a bag of chips out with a water bottle and always tell attendants they are eating. Hardly had masks on entire trip.
This is the kind of crap I am talking about. I would likely be the one thrown off the plane because I would, loudly, if needed, INSIST that the attendants enforce the rules that the airline says that they have.
These entitled Covidiots need to be BANNED from flying ANY airline if they do stuff like this.
Well, they are almost bankrupt so I don’t blame them but I honestly think we’re better off if they just go bankrupt and are absorbed by a better company.
Restructuring their debt is probably a certainty in for their future. As for them going away completely, not likely. As for them being absorbed, I don’t know who has pockets deep enough to do it or would be foolish enough to take on the amount of debt that AA is carrying.
If those pinheads are gonna do this, then in my opinion they HAVE TO MAKE MASKS MANDATORY THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT!
They are requiring mask to be worn during flight…at least on the last 4 flights I’ve been on in the past 3 weeks.