IADCAflyer

60 percent of the time, it works every time.

jimmyz1

Just got off a packed ej900? (Beautiful new plane). I made the choice to fly so that's on me... but the flight attendants announcement to socially distant while deboarding is insulting. We just spent over an hour in tight quarters...... now all of a sudden social distancing magically becomes important?

HiAperture

MIA-DFW 319, DFW-SEA 738 today, both at least 90% full. I was surprised also that F had only 8 seats taken on the second flight so they went ahead and cleared 4 upgrades plus a couple off duty FA's in uniform to top it off, so definitely no social distancing attempted. They made a canned announcement about taking to the FAs if you want to change seats to better promote social distancing, no such option on those planes as full as they were. Overall it went well, no delays, I enjoyed my first flights in months, but if you are expecting to board a plane with a dozen other pax, that wasn't my experience.

thunderdeacon

I think they would best served not talking about social distancing at all if flights are that full. And honestly they shouldn't in the first place. Anyone worried about being close to someone else shouldn't be flying.

enviroian

was everyone masked?

HiAperture

yes. You had everything from people wearing the cheap one time use paper masks to people wearing multiple masks, face shields, gloves.

AAway

I know there's another thread for this, but I'm curious - any drinks? Particularly DFW-SEA?

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

Drinks are hit or miss. Some FAs will continue to do beverages like before, some FAs only upon request and a few FAs that flatly refused even if asked. Flights are becoming full. Some flights the first row of F is blocked, some flights not. Like everything with AA there's no consistency and FAs tend to make up their own rules.

ChurnieEls

I think folks are just going to have to accept the risks if they choose to fly - you just can't feasibly social distance on an aircraft.

That being said I am in favor of mandatory masks and disinfecting aircraft to somewhat mitigate risks.

AAway

I know .. I'm following your posts in the other thread, just curious about this one - especially the rather long DFW-SEA segment.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

The airlines despite what they say aren't going to be able to disinfecting a/c after every flight. At least with LAA at one time a/c went through a deep clean once a month. Other than that it's a superficial clean. Commercial a/c are dirty (just look under your seat or seat cushion). Anyone with any kind of serious auto immune deficiency or otherwise severe health issue should not fly. COVID 19, no COVID 19. A couple years before my mother died her health had materially deteriorated. Before her death that she knew was coming (she had worked in health care) she wanted me to take her back to Italy. I refused because an a/c was the last place I would ever had taken an elderly, frail sick person. She never forgave me but ultimately I know I made the right decision. If she got sick on a Transcontinental flight it would not be fair to other paxs and to the crew.

As far as the DFW/SEA flight if it's under 2,200 miles (which I pretty sure that route is) there will be no food service. You may or may not get beverages in F depending upon the FAs. If I'm mistaken and it's over 2,200 miles you will get a single tray service in F. No warm nuts. No warm towel. No separate desert. Everything will be wrapped on the tray.

HiAperture

good question. Everyone in Y and F got a boarding bag with a small snack and small Dasani water on boarding, an announcement was made on the ground that there would be no service on the flight. On MIA-DFW no further attempts to offer any drinks by the FA was done. On DFW-SEA the FA was actually pretty prompt after takeoff to come through the cabin and see if anyone wanted something else, she seemed to have a pretty full selection, didn’t see anyone order alcohol but I am pretty sure she had it, also she made a pot of coffee on request for one pax who wanted it. Full cans were given out with a plastic cup and ice. Interestingly my wife asked for water and she was given an entire 1l bottle with a cup. Considering the circumstances the FA on the longer flight was very attentive.

*Edit* to be clear I am talking about the F cabin drink service, although it seemed a few pax in Y asked for a second snack bag and were obliged on the longer DFW-SEA flight.

I’ll return later via CLT which will provide a meal (breakfast) service so I will give feedback on that also.

HiAperture

I put my thoughts on the food and drink service including the meal served on the return flights in the 2020 domestic meal thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32383966-post226.html

TEBraniff

I have no problem whatsoever with whatever rules Corporate makes but no way in hell does a union employee get to make their own rules.

thunderdeacon

I went to NYC this weekend to help my sister who is a visiting nurse there. Most of my flights were quite full.

Friday evening's OKC-DFW CR7 was about 90% full with all seats filled except for the front row of F and the back row of Y. I was upgraded to F at the 24-hour window as a Gold. I was asked on the app to make a bid for a VDB voucher, and I put in a bid for $400, but it appeared that they didn't end up needing any volunteers.

Saturday morning's DFW-LGA on a 738 was about 90% full. All rows were occupied except for one side of the front row of F. It appeared that the back row was unassigned, but the flight attendants allowed people to move there to spread out. There was a bit of moving around, and once everything was settled, about 3/4 of the middle seats were occupied. I was fortunate to have an open middle seat in MCE, although more for the extra space as opposed to any ill-conceived and ignorant notion that it kept me safer. We were given a bag with a bottle of water, pretzels, and Biscoff cookies. I helped my sister move into her apartment, and we enjoyed a painfully beautiful evening in Central Park. New Yorkers were out in force enjoying the beautiful weather.

My Sunday return trip was originally scheduled as LGA-CLT-OKC, leaving at 4:00 PM and arriving in OKC around 10 PM. Five days before my trip, I got an email saying that the LGA-CLT flight was full, and I could change my trip for free to get a less crowded flight. I took AA up on their offer, but only because I wanted to get home a bit earlier if possible. I was also looking to maximize my segments and EQM's to take advantage of lower limits for higher elite status levels. I chose a LGA-DCA-ORD-OKC routing that left at noon and got to OKC around 7 PM.

My LGA-DCA flight on an E-175 was about 90% full. The front row of F and the back row of Y were blocked off, and almost all other seats were occupied. I was also given an opportunity to bid on a possible VDB voucher, and again I bid $400. Like before, it appeared that they did not end up needing any volunteers. I did not clear an upgrade. The terminal at DCA was not particularly crowded, but there were enough people to overwhelm the one restaurant that was open. I decided to wait and eat at ORD.

DCA-ORD on an A319 was about 50% full. Most middle seats were open, and a few people up in MCE, including myself, had an entire row to themselves. We were given a bag with a bottle of water and cookies, and I observed that the front row of F was empty. ORD had quite a few people. Judging by the flight board and the number of passengers, it appeared that AA had a significant connecting flight bank going during the time I was there. With over half the restaurants closed, the open restaurants were all very busy. I got some food at the H/K food court, and it was somewhat crowded. I then walked over to the Cubs bar, got a margarita, and stood by the window and enjoyed it due to the lack of an open table. My connection at ORD was my first airport experience since Covid-19 that seemed remotely close to pre-pandemic times. I did not request an upgrade.

ORD-OKC on a CR7 was about 85% full, with the front row of F and the back row of Y both empty; most other seats were occupied. I was again blessed with an empty seat next to me in MCE, and I again did not request an upgrade.

Overall, it seemed that there were very few elite members flying, leading me to believe that it was manly leisure and VFR travel. I boarded with group 4 on all but my first flight, and in all cases except DFW-LGA, nobody boarded with CK, group 2, or group 3.