RobOnLI

Rumor has it Delta is removing the seat restrictions in September, especially in FC. They now want to book FC to 75% instead of the 50% they are capped at now to allow for physical distancing. Why 75% and not 100% if they're going to remove the physical distancing guidelines I don't know unless they want to make it easier for couples to sit next to each other. Southwest continues to offer no middle seats.

This is the same thing with the IAD people mover. They are supposedly limited to 50 people if I remember the sign correctly. Well, they're chock full every time I ride them (about 2x a week when I'm traveling). Not one person counting passengers, enforcing masks, etc.

So if you've been flying consistently then you know ice & cocktail service came back weeks ago. I would def expect it heading to Cabo. I am more curious if they cater the flights differently ex-Mexico now given Mexico has had a lot of flare ups as well.

-RM

DELee

Uh, no. Today's Delta e-mail:


David

WineCountryUA

From the DL forum, https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...h-jan-6-a.html, where it is best to discuss this.

Delta Extends & Scales Back Seat Blocking Policy
Delta will block middle seats into January, but the airline plans to fill more of its seats

findark

No PPG?

RNE

Those corn-fed Midwestern boys haven't heard of Pago Pago.

pprrff

I have not flown since COVID but now I have to do a transcon round-trip for work.
Many of my colleagues have been traveling (much less but as needed to do their jobs) and we have been avoiding AA, and preferring DL/AS/WN over United because of middle seat blocking policies and general attitudes toward COVID safety.

I'm usually a pretty strict *A flyer but for these upcoming trips I'm looking at the alternatives. The pretty paltry offering at the lounges are also a factor, so what's the point of flying UA as *G if there are no perks/food.

Boraxo

just curious but what type of employer requires people to fly for work during COVID? Can’t think of any companies around here that do unless you are a doctor or working on an oil rig.

I know everyone has their own requirements - personally I would value an empty middle seat over a lounge but I guess you can’t get either right now flying UA. Then again B6 has no lounges

Weyland Yutani Corp

Wow. Making UA look bad. Come on...figure it out, UA.

MojaveFlyer

Some lawyers I work with (remotely) are flying to eastern Texas for a trial which is running next week. If the judge is sitting the jury and holding the trial, they sort of have to go, if they want to keep their jobs.

pprrff

In my case I have to go close-out a small office we have in the west coast without any staff left. There’s some equipment I need to recover, make final arrangements with landlord and dispose/sell of a company vehicle. If I could do it remotely Or had someone I could trust to sort through the equipment I would. The only other staff that could do this are out of the country.

nomad420

Self employed but have partners and staffing needs require movement around the country. Mostly western US including Hawaii. I do have two partners that has refused to fly due to age and prior illness so the rest of us our picking up the duty. In my case it was either sink or swim and I am swimming. Travel comparatively speaking is still WAY DOWN over what I would normally due, I would say 25% of normal travel now.

Boraxo

Good point. Most everything in California is being handled remotely so we tend to forget that other states are open for business as usual (well, maybe with masks),

cjermain

I find it fascinating that UA and Delta can look at the same market and come to such different conclusions about middle seat blocking. I likely won't fly UA until the pandemic subsides (even if it means a connection on Delta) but I feel like I'm not typical, maybe even a very rare exception. If the last two decades have shown anything, it's that the domestic market values 1. price and 2. route, and competing on anything else (product quality) simply wastes money. That's why I think UA is making the right move business-wise, even though I won't fly them.

330

I still have some flying, but zero UA. After the MileagePlus Changes done I am out. I am taking my money elsewhere.

I guess being greedy towards money has some downturns, especially in a recession and crisis like this one.

glbltvlr

Haven't you watched that wonderful financial training film hosted by Gorden Gekko - greed is good! I actually don't blame UA specifically. The big three (and to a lesser extent SWA) were driven to the previous pricing model by Wall Street, which in turn were reflecting the views of the owners. The largest of which are retirement funds for everyday people - teachers, nurses, truck drivers, etc..

That said, if there's a silver lining to come from the pandemic, all those golden threads that were holding passengers captive to a particular airline and it's associated business model have either been broken or seriously weakened. Corporate contracts expiring, networks and fleets being drastically shrunk, frequent flyer programs devalued to the point of the average flyer seeing little to no benefit.

Taking a slightly optimistic view, there really seems to be an opening for new operators with new business models to come in and see if they can make a difference.