Anybody flown recently?

I truly hate the hassle of flying. Has anybody flown recently with the updated "health" procedures? Specifically TSA and food and drink in the airplane? How are you supposed to put anything to your mouth with a mask on? Or do they simply not serve anything? Or, is it a matter of "sneaking a sip or bite?"

 

As been mentioned in other posts, you are allowed to take your mask off to eat and drink. That is fine.

I flew when this stuff broke out before wearing a mask became mandatory. I feel a lot better now flying with a mask.

When I flew in April, they had limited food and beverage service depending on flight duration. The usual cookies or pretzels were served in a little bag with a napkin, water bottle, and sanitizing wipe - like a party favor bag. I thought it was cute!

Some restaurants at the airports were open and you could get food.

I'm flying out of LAX today and will report back any major things.

 

The "mask" thing varies by airline. Requiring, requesting and enforcing are the variations.

TSA is talking about temp checks, but I have not seen if they have started the test yet.

Without knowing your airline and city pairs, hard to add much. You can also check at flyertalk.com for your specific airline and what is happening... or should I say what happened yesterday vs today.

Southwest for example has not been doing any food or drink service at all. They are working in water and no date on drinks. They do require masks, but do not enforce it.

 

A woman with whom I went to college has been a flight attendant for Delta for many years. On a recent Zoom meeting, she told me that the planes are now cleaner than she’s ever seen them. Not only are they cleaning the planes more thoroughly, she said after boarding the passengers start pulling out the wipes and cleaning every possible surface before they take off. So the passengers are helping!

 

No Southwest magazine? That's how I found out about the El Co matchplay.

 

I’m still flying every couple of weeks for work (I work in the aerospace industry, and planes still need to be airworthy). Huge drop from my regular which is 80% out of the country, whereas this is all domestic, but so be it...I’m not sad, not at all...no way... /s

Anywho, it’s not much different except for having fewer passengers and limited food/drink, depending on the airline. I just plop my mask on, do work or watch movies, bring my own water bottle, and before I know it the flight is over. Aircraft have definitely been cleaner than ever.

 

I've flown 3 times in the past 2 weeks, none of them served any drinks/food/etc., the planes were pretty bare so not having to sit by anyone not a problem, and none of them required me to wear a mask and this was as recent as last Saturday. The one thing i found weird was that all 3 flights none of the attendants wore masks, not one of them which kinda surprised me.

 

Really? Which airline(s)?

 

Try this for the SWA magazine.

https://www.southwestmag.com

 

@VegasTodd, I'm pretty sure you don't need the coupon or flyer to redeem the offer.

 

Since the main reasons for masks in public is so that the wearer does not spread the disease... sort of makes sense.

 

I know. It's where I found out about it.

 

Got it.

 

I would hope the FAs wear masks, they have exposer to more people in a day than I. They can’t avoid it. Many are young and healthy so could be carriers. I wouldn’t freak out or get off the plane, I would think they would be required.

 

I agree. The CDC guidelines and the policies of the airlines have changed. I know on Jet Blue EVERYONE must wear a mask and increasingly other airlines are following the same practice. And from what I've read, a mask can protect you to some degree from droplets coming from a sick person who is NOT wearing a mask.

I bought some goggles recently given that the virus can get in through the eyes. That's how the epidemiologist Dr. Fair, who is a medical commentator on the Today Show, believes he got the virus on a flight from Newark to New Orleans about a month ago. He said he was on a packed flight and his instincts told him to get off the plane but he didn't. He said he was wearing a mask and gloves but people were sitting all around him and his eyes weren't covered, which is the third way the virus can enter the body (mouth, nose, eyes).

 

This is exactly why i was surprised that on all 3 flights none of them were wearing masks, just the amount of people they must come in contact throughout the day.

3 flights were Spirit, American, and Allegiant

 

What are the experiences with TSA and the lines at airports like?

 

Spirit probably wanted to charge them to buy their spirit branded masks

 

I have precheck so my lines were never too bad, but they’re super quick these days.

 

I flew yesterday on American. TSA had masks on and they asked me to remove mine to check my face against my ID.

The flight from Chicago was almost completely full. All the flight attendants wore masks and they regularly reminded passengers to keep their masks in place. No beverage service of any kind.

My husband flew Allegiant on Thursday, almost no one had masks on, including flight attendants and they were serving drinks.