Who is/is not Flying Now On UA in the COVID era? Why?
Apr 25, 2020, 5:55 pm
#121
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA 1K 25 years/2MM, Honors LT Diamond, AVIS & Hertz Prez Club
Posts: 4,753
Apr 25, 2020, 7:39 pm
#122
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,861
Moved a number posts to a separate OMNI/PR thread, https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/omni...ke-choice.html
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
Apr 26, 2020, 9:01 am
#123
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: HH Dia, UA 1K, Marriott Platinum Premier
Posts: 51
Different times...
My first travel in 8 weeks was this week, connecting in IAH. If coming from a hot spot area - NY, WA, LA, etc - I can confirm TX DPS/State Troopers will meet you at the door once exiting the jet bridge. Be prepared to document where you are staying in TX or present a boarding pass for your connecting flight.
IAH was eerily empty. Only 1 TSA check point open (term C) and only 1 person in line there. Walked to the skytrain in Term C for the ride to Term B and then walked to the B gates. Counted no more than 20 people including airline/airport staff. Flights were UAX and no more than 10 on any flight and many of these were flight crews flying to their next assignment.
Almost everything in IAH was shut down and those which were open are all food/newsstand (ie Hudson) All had significant barriers to separate customers from food workers.
IAH Terminal C
All vendor outlets and restaurants are closed off and wrapped in plastic covering.
Planes stored on taxiway at IAH
More planes stored on taxiway at IAH
Empty parking garage
IAH was eerily empty. Only 1 TSA check point open (term C) and only 1 person in line there. Walked to the skytrain in Term C for the ride to Term B and then walked to the B gates. Counted no more than 20 people including airline/airport staff. Flights were UAX and no more than 10 on any flight and many of these were flight crews flying to their next assignment.
Almost everything in IAH was shut down and those which were open are all food/newsstand (ie Hudson) All had significant barriers to separate customers from food workers.
IAH Terminal C
All vendor outlets and restaurants are closed off and wrapped in plastic covering.
Planes stored on taxiway at IAH
More planes stored on taxiway at IAH
Empty parking garage
Apr 26, 2020, 3:13 pm
#124
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 18
For those of you still choosing to fly (whatever your reason) I just want to give you a heart felt thank you.
Apr 26, 2020, 4:58 pm
#125
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
I'm experiencing this now. Booked a flight last week for wednesday out of PHL. Found out on saturday that it got cancelled as well as the thursday morning one. They rebooked me to Thursday night. I need to be there Friday morning (which is the reason I booked for wednesday). I've got a few backup plans ready to go, but it all depends on when they cancel. If they do it the night before, I still have potential options. If they do it an hour before the flight, that makes it tough.
Apr 26, 2020, 6:24 pm
#126
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: IAH & CMH
Programs: UA GS, UA MM, Marriott Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Uber Platinum :)
Posts: 773
I flew into IAH last Monday and it was a ghost town... reminded me of when I flew back the night they reopened after Hurricane Harvey. Starbucks in Terminal E was open, and I think the Wendy’s... not much else.
flying tomorrow... terminal E and B check-in / TSA are closed so Terminal C it is...
flying tomorrow... terminal E and B check-in / TSA are closed so Terminal C it is...
Apr 27, 2020, 6:16 pm
#128
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 200
Is this for real?
Are you playing with Angles in this picture or something. The entire cabin is empty?
I did find on my domestic flights the level of sanitizing a bit over the top to the point of the plane smelling like a hospital. Was it the same on the international flights? I'm not sure I could bear that smell for 10+ hours.
I did find on my domestic flights the level of sanitizing a bit over the top to the point of the plane smelling like a hospital. Was it the same on the international flights? I'm not sure I could bear that smell for 10+ hours.
Apr 27, 2020, 6:33 pm
#129
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 112
You can see the other passenger back in the far corner. There were about 20 more in back. Definitely safer than my local Safeway. It was clean. And the flight attendants handed out Lysol wipes to make it even more clean.
Apr 27, 2020, 6:40 pm
#130
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K \\ ConciergeKey
Posts: 531
Flying SFO - SNA next week on Monday, will be my first flight since my SQ SIN - SFO on Feb 27th.
Right now looks like the flights are on the ERJ 175 - with maybe a handful of seats taken in both cabins. Will take pics and report back.
Need to get back home to my mother in LA who needs some help with things that just can't be delayed any longer.
Right now looks like the flights are on the ERJ 175 - with maybe a handful of seats taken in both cabins. Will take pics and report back.
Need to get back home to my mother in LA who needs some help with things that just can't be delayed any longer.
Apr 29, 2020, 7:01 pm
#131
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
Interesting, and sad.
MODS - I wasn't sure if this was the best thread to post this video. If not, feel free to move/merge or delete if it's been posted already. Thanks.
MODS - I wasn't sure if this was the best thread to post this video. If not, feel free to move/merge or delete if it's been posted already. Thanks.
Jul 24, 2020, 10:39 am
#132
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
What businesses are allowing travel? I'm at a roughly 100,000 tech company - we have an outright travel ban in 2020, all offices are closed with a limited phased reopening possibly in September and by limited for instance, the California offices will remain closed all of 2020. Are there really any Fortune 1000 companies that are freely traveling?
Jul 24, 2020, 10:59 am
#133
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,346
What businesses are allowing travel? I'm at a roughly 100,000 tech company - we have an outright travel ban in 2020, all offices are closed with a limited phased reopening possibly in September and by limited for instance, the California offices will remain closed all of 2020. Are there really any Fortune 1000 companies that are freely traveling?
-RM
Jul 24, 2020, 11:32 am
#134
formerly wunderpit
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ONT-SNA-LAX
Programs: UA1K-HHDiamond
Posts: 1,342
What businesses are allowing travel? I'm at a roughly 100,000 tech company - we have an outright travel ban in 2020, all offices are closed with a limited phased reopening possibly in September and by limited for instance, the California offices will remain closed all of 2020. Are there really any Fortune 1000 companies that are freely traveling?
2) Apple is trying to get emergency visas. Do they count? I would argue that MANY businesses are trying and/or minimally flying for business.
Jul 24, 2020, 12:11 pm
#135
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1K, DL DM
Posts: 255
My company invests in the senior housing and elderly healthcare industries, so we're quite essential. Not all operational issues can be done by onsite personnel/management, or by an executive remotely. Some require an executive, in person. Honestly, some personnel issues during my homestate's peak COVID issues kept me home, and the issues got worse.
So long story short, I am now travelling. Not pre-COVID levels, but I'm travelling. I'm also getting tested weekly (yep, swab me up), and I'm meeting with our teams OUTSIDE instead of inside, whenever possible, and always with a mask.
There are lots of companies that can't pause operations, can't deal with every issue remotely, so I for one am VERY thankful that UA and its employees are still flying as much as they are, and trying to build up the flight schedule more in future months.
So long story short, I am now travelling. Not pre-COVID levels, but I'm travelling. I'm also getting tested weekly (yep, swab me up), and I'm meeting with our teams OUTSIDE instead of inside, whenever possible, and always with a mask.
There are lots of companies that can't pause operations, can't deal with every issue remotely, so I for one am VERY thankful that UA and its employees are still flying as much as they are, and trying to build up the flight schedule more in future months.