Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > United Airlines | MileagePlus
Reload this Page >

UA COVID19 precautions: **REQUIRING** mask usage per CDC/DoT

Old Jun 17, 2020, 4:09 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Debating the value of masks is not appropriate for the UA forum -- we will discuss the UA requirements, enforcement and/or compliance. The value of masks is not UA specific issue (and not airline industry-specific either) and is best discussed elsewhere in a more universal format

WineCountryUA
UA coModerator

.22 April UA to provide "Social distancing" by blocking middles from advance seat assignments -- note middles can be assigned for those traveling together or at the gate if needed ... example notice and COVID-19: What we're doing to keep customers and employees safe


20 May 2020 United Launches United CleanPlus: A New Standard of Cleanliness and Safety in Partnership with Clorox and Cleveland Clinic ... (post)
"allowing customers to take alternative flights when we expect a flight to operate over 70% capacity." is included in the above announvement
Also NSRA not allowed if above 70%

15 June 2020 United Airlines Strengthens Onboard Mask Policy to Further Protect Passengers and Employees Against COVID-19 Spread ... (post)

July 2020 -- appears UA has dropped blocking pre-assignment of middles, still notifying if 70% booked

20 July -- "Traveling is different now, but we're still committed to your safety What to expect when you travel next", e-mail

22 July -- United Extends Mask Requirements to Airports

17 August 2021 -- TSA to extend transportation mask mandate into January (18, 2022)







Print Wikipost

UA COVID19 precautions: **REQUIRING** mask usage per CDC/DoT

Old Apr 22, 2020, 11:15 pm
  #1  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,406
UA COVID19 precautions: **REQUIRING** mask usage per CDC/DoT

UA to block seats as part of social distancing.

https://onemileatatime.com/united-ai...locking-seats/

kinda:

https://onemileatatime.com/united-ai...stancing-sham/
sexykitten7 likes this.

Last edited by cesco.g; Apr 22, 2020 at 11:25 pm Reason: added link
cesco.g is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2020, 11:26 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,550
Originally Posted by cesco.g
UA to block seats as part of social distancing.

https://onemileatatime.com/united-ai...locking-seats/
Saw that From UA on FB and Twitter this morning. Seems like it matches some others. Given the lack of people, should work fine for now.
COSPILOT is online now  
Old Apr 22, 2020, 11:49 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Tx
Programs: AA, UA, WN
Posts: 812
UA is misleading the public on their stance. I have a flight from sfo-iah in early june...old schedule had 7-8 flights daily (mix of 739s and 777s) now down to 3 on A319s..where did all those folks go....you got that right filled up my new flight. They can claim social distancing but then cut capacity to fill up planes at their discretion. Remember the supposed myth of cancelling light loads...well just became fact. If UA won't practice what they preach about safety I will do it for them and cancel.
roberto99 and mikeyf like this.
Halo117 is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2020, 11:56 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: New York / Hawaii
Programs: UA Global Services, HH Diamond
Posts: 5,169
They clarified today it isn't a new policy. They said this may or may not happen and is a function of loads
Weatherboy is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2020, 12:02 am
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,106
Originally Posted by Halo117
If UA won't practice what they preach about safety I will do it for them and cancel.
No airline, anywhere in the world, will ever offer six-foot exclusion zones on their flights. They can't -- on a narrowbody, you could seat two people every three rows, and then only if nobody ever uses the aisle -- the flight attendants will be within 6 feet of every passenger on the plane at some point.

UA's stance is not really any different than what anyone else is doing.
st3, rmadisonwi and Repooc17 like this.
jsloan is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2020, 8:28 am
  #6  
Original Member
 
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CT/NY
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, AA EXP, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 5,972
With many of the flights downsized and first class already filled up, I'm wondering if they are going to start downgrading people? Or keep status quo and hand out masks?
PTahCha is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2020, 9:32 am
  #7  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,106
Originally Posted by PTahCha
With many of the flights downsized and first class already filled up, I'm wondering if they are going to start downgrading people? Or keep status quo and hand out masks?
Neither, although people can certainly downgrade themselves if they want, assuming there's space in Y. If somebody wants to wear a mask on the plane, I doubt that they'll stop them, but I also don't expect that they'll be handing them out (and I personally wouldn't fly any airline where a mask is mandated, but that's neither here nor there).
jsloan is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2020, 11:30 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: AA LT PLT (3.6+ MM), UA 1K LT Gold, Hilton LT Diamond, Bonvoy Gold.
Posts: 1,654
Originally Posted by jsloan
Neither, although people can certainly downgrade themselves if they want, assuming there's space in Y. If somebody wants to wear a mask on the plane, I doubt that they'll stop them, but I also don't expect that they'll be handing them out (and I personally wouldn't fly any airline where a mask is mandated, but that's neither here nor there).
Well, IMHO, you are not going to be flying for a long while! I truly expect that masks will become mandatory in public spaces and certainly on airplanes here in the US. It's inevitable...
Miggles and sapman986 like this.
timfountain is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2020, 1:22 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MBS/FNT/LAN
Programs: UA 1K, HH Gold, Mariott Gold
Posts: 9,617
I cant link the article, but FR says if they are legislated to do quarantine/social distance seating, then they will not fly until after those rules go away, the quote was something like: "we cant even cover costs at 66% capacity"
jsloan and ExplorerWannabe like this.
jhayes_1780 is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2020, 1:31 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,529
Originally Posted by PTahCha
With many of the flights downsized and first class already filled up, I'm wondering if they are going to start downgrading people? Or keep status quo and hand out masks?
You're looking at the seat map? Hard to say what June will bring but I imagine many of those people will cancel before the flight leaves.

The flight that flew SFO-IAH this morning, for example, had 39 people -- about 1/4 full.
threeoh is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2020, 3:54 pm
  #11  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,847
Originally Posted by timfountain
Well, IMHO, you are not going to be flying for a long while! I truly expect that masks will become mandatory in public spaces and certainly on airplanes here in the US. It's inevitable...
Not on flights themselves, but already flights within and to/from Canada require passengers to have masks with them. I think they are only actually required to be on through security (CATSA checkpoints - so in Canada) and on crew member instructions as well as when social distancing cant be accomplished. Im not sure exactly what that means though (ie, on flights within Canada, do passengers need to put it on when attendants are coming through the aisles, as thats clearly less than 6 feet?). The point Is its already started. I believe a crew member, presumably a GA, is required to verify each passenger has a mask.

Asia already has the mask habit, so probably already a critical mass there are doing it. Id say Id also be surprised if this isnt a requirement at some point - at least until there is a vaccine available to the masses, and/or if there is enough immunity in the community. Thats not a few weeks away - Im confident thats 2+ years at least.
emcampbe is online now  
Old Apr 23, 2020, 5:28 pm
  #12  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,110
Originally Posted by Halo117
where did all those folks go....
The smart ones are staying home.
mahasamatman is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2020, 5:46 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Tx
Programs: AA, UA, WN
Posts: 812
Originally Posted by jhayes_1780
I cant link the article, but FR says if they are legislated to do quarantine/social distance seating, then they will not fly until after those rules go away, the quote was something like: "we cant even cover costs at 66% capacity"
What does that even mean? Did they mean load factors? If so that is a false assertion as load factors have no bearing on profitability. How many times have we heard that mantra on FT. The details might be CASM has skyrocketed due to capacity cuts and mounting fixed costs. Airlines can't have it both ways...get payroll covered through September but capture all expenditures against CASM. Since the capacity cuts fares have risen. UA wants to get lean but can't do it fast enough.

My complaint is touting safety only to cram them in by consolidating flights to high load factors. This will be a problem going forward and no vaccine. Save the lip service and give me my snackbox.
Halo117 is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2020, 5:56 pm
  #14  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,879
I think this is being misread? To me, it seems UA will block seats as long as the loads permit, then they'll start filling in adjacent seats.
st3 likes this.
IAH-OIL-TRASH is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2020, 6:05 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,529
Originally Posted by Halo117
What does that even mean? Did they mean load factors? If so that is a false assertion as load factors have no bearing on profitability. How many times have we heard that mantra on FT.
FR (Ryanair)'s whole business model is high load factors, low ticket prices, low costs. They've said they don't plan to return to flying until they can get high LFs again. I have no reason to doubt them. (Also, they obviously didn't receive CARES Act money, so not sure why that's relevant).
threeoh is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.