mmff

Are you really flying with LX to support the airline? This makes little sense even if you're a shareholder.

moreaki

Care to elaborate why it makes little sense to you?

Among the usual flights for work and family related reasons and being a shareholder, I'd like to support this top notch airline by buying up some of the otherwise pretty empty leg seats. I can afford to do so and even though it's a tiny drop in the bucket, I'd additionally enjoy my flying days reading books and going for a coffee or a swim in the ocean at whichever place I end up flying to.

gmt4

It makes little sense to me because during a pandemic flying is a utility for getting between destinations for a purpose. Not to support company because they have empty seats. They are a business, not a charity. Remember, there is a reason those seats are empty: because people shouldn't be traveling if they don't need to. Discouraging travel is also partly the reason airport services, hotels, gastronomy, etc remain closed in many places in Europe. Its really quite simple.

This has to be one of the more strange posts I've read on this forum.

moreaki

To a certain degree I share your points, but there simply is no scientific proof or sound reason or model that quick turnarounds have any increased impact on the current situation, anymore than the vast amount of (not vaccinated) people I see daily gathering in different settings without masks everywhere since the begin of the proclaimed pandemic.

People flying to places for their holidays in order to escape pandemic measures (Dubai, Seychelles, Maldives, Mexico,etc) flock in thousands, domestic parties and gatherings of people not flying but still ignoring basic health measures, these are some of the predominant spreaders. Whenever a country opens up, people flock there (currently Portugal seems to be the place people go, since my last four flights to LIS the last month have been completely full with people), then blatantly disregard the safety measures which should still be upheld by everyone. Some of them come back infected (without knowing it during the 48 / 72 hrs period) and infect others. But the exact same happens in local clusters of high ad-hoc population density. It's the irresponsibility of people in general that causes this dragging out of the pandemic. But certainly not responsible flying.

I've taken a PCR test pretty much every 72 hrs since August 2020, I wear a mask almost everywhere when safe distance cannot be upheld (luckily I spend most of my time in nature and far away from people), and I rarely touch people outside of normal family life and loved ones. There are no reproducible statistics yet, but it's been scientifically indicated that flying pretty much is the "safest" confined place you can be. You obviously have to take care of safety measures outside of the airplane, which is no more than if you'd go shopping. What I frequently see here in CH is dozens of people not from the same household gathering for hikes without masks. The swinger scene in Switzerland is still very active and parties ensue (check out Joy Club), much the same as people during winter did their après-ski parties in the mountains. There are still non-essential workers who insist in going to the office to meet. I've had to deal with one of my divisions on an outbreak of Covid because people wouldn't stay at home, but insisted on meeting due to psychological reasons.

Over the course of the over 100 flights I've taken since March 2020 both for business and private reasons, I have not been ill a single day and I have not been contacted by any government agency due to anyone on my flight being infected and subsequent contacts being traced, Being stationed in Switzerland for the time being, I have contacted with the BAG and other authorities to discuss my intentions to fly as much as possible to receive further instructions or clarifications, and the response has been positive towards my endeavors.

YMMV. You're entitled to your opinion.

florens

Why would anyone contact authorities to discuss travel plans? What‘s that nonsense?

airoli

This is quite bizarre, but I am intrigued. Are you flying for whatever reasons, and you just opt to take these flights on LX? That I could easily understand.

Or are you flying expressely to give money to LX? I mean, this is Flyertalk, and I have certainly taken my fair share of mileage runs in my days, but the motivation was always that I got something that I wanted (miles, status etc.) out of it. It had never occured to me to take a flight to support the airline - when I feel altruistic, I donate to charity.

moreaki

I initially contacted the authorities because the regulation put in place was not clear on quick turn-around flights (nobody thought about that as probably only a few people actually do that during a pandemic). I've meanwhile had very interesting exchanges and valuable input on how to design the record locators for Sicily, Switzerland, Portugal, England, Greece, Spain, Serbia and some others, managed to clarify transfer control processes, and ameliorated other aspects that were not or vaguely defined.

Given that there seems little understanding here on this platform regarding my decision, I'll refrain from discussing this any further. This way discussion threads also don't have to be moved or closed on my behalf. If you want to continue this discussion, contact me through private message.

moreaki

Answered privately as outlined above.

vantage03

I’m relieved to see that I wasn’t alone in thinking this was truly one of the most bizarre (if ridiculous) things I’d ever read, anywhere.

gmt4

Its really a prime example of why European governments closed their borders and put travel restrictions and quarantines in place. To discourage exactly what was described above. Certainly if someone feels like they want to support a business there's ways to do it that don't endanger others by criss-crossing the continent possibly exposing themselves and others unknowingly.

If someone wants to give money to their favorite airline then buy 10,000,000 airline miles and never redeem them. Buy full fare tickets when they do need to travel or the most expensive non-refundable tickets they can buy and not use them. Any other way is better than needless travel in the face of restrictions....regardless of why a person has rationalized to themselves that its a good idea to do.

People do things like this then wonder why restrictions never end. I'm really at a loss with all this.

hugolover

Are you offsetting the deadly carbons from these flights?

LoungeLizzard

I can easily associate with moreaki in both ways:
a) That he or she likes to go places and enjoys flying with LX, and b) that he or she does not want to discuss this here further.
Plenty of things we do every day seem a lot more bizarre, ridiculous or irresponsible to me, but to each their own.

sophialite

you’re definitely not alone. Oh well