Packed United flight leaves passengers 'scared,' 'shocked' amid fears of the coronavirus

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

A photo of a crowded flight posted on Twitter by a cardiologist returning from the New York City area may hint at the difficulties of social distancing as air travel picks up again.

Dr. Ethan Weiss tweeted a photo Saturday showing what appears to be a full United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco. Though passengers are wearing masks, he said the crowded cabin runs counter to United's assurances that it would leave middle seats empty in order to promote social distancing to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

"I guess @united is relaxing their social distancing policy these days? Every seat full on this 737," tweeted Weiss along with the photo. He is both a physician and a scientist at the University of California San Francisco who had been in New York working to aid with the coronavirus crisis.

Link to tweet

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In a separate tweet, Weiss included a statement from United's chief customer officer, sent to all passengers, saying, "We're automatically blocking middle seats to give you enough space on board."

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/packed-united-flight-leaves-passengers-scared-shocked-amid-fears-of-the-coronavirus/ar-BB13STs0?li=BBnb7Kz

[EllieBC]

1. Last flight I took was March 28.

Toronto to Vancouver on Air Canada. My flight was cancelled as was the one 4 hours later and both were bumped to a time in the middle.

The plane was 100% full.

I understand flying nearly empty planes is costly but that was ridiculous.

[Hugin]

2. Still trying to squeeze a profit above all of the years of government bailouts.

Go capitalism!

[Raven]

3. Get off the plane? Refuse to fly with those conditions?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

5. Get off the plane, that'll teach 'em.

But then you're stuck in NY when you need to be in SF, with maybe no available seats until Wednesday when they pack another plane to the rafters.

It takes a brave (and rich) person to make that decision.

[Raven]

7. I'm 74 years old and I am neither brave nor rich but I'm smart enough to know what might kill me.

[Submariner]

4. The 70+ years olders appear to be still quarantining

In this photo and other 'breaking quarantine' crowd photos, I seldom feel I see anyone over 70. At that age flying like that would be lethal. Zero flying until there is a vaccine.

[stillcool]

6. Maybe they need another bail-out..

to make up for the loss of the middle seat....or maybe they're planning on going bankrupt, and need to fill up their money bags before they jump ship.

[crickets]

13. +1

[Worried2020]

8. Ponder this - how many of us NEED to fly to survive?

hunh? -

We got all sorts of ways to socialize internationally - from snail mail to instant messaging and video chats

Well yeah - we'd hafta stop a few wars,

but that ain't such a bad idea either



W

[Runningdawg]

9. Why would ANYONE fly if its not an emergency?

If my husband were dying in another city and I couldn't drive there in a few hours, I would get on a plane. Short of that HELL NO.

[Baclava]

10. This! Recycled air for hours packed in a meat can? no thanks

[Renew Deal]

11. But no one got off.

[Hortensis]

19. Too late when they realized? Needed to push past others?

Seemed safer to just try to shelter in place, knowing air is circulated and filtered more frequently than the indoor spaces they'd have to traverse? Believed safer conditions ahead than are being left?

These mask-wearers are not happy people.

[Renew Deal]

20. I'm not buying it.

They should have left if they thought it was that dangerous. You know in the waiting area if a flight is full and it is confirmed once you start boarding. Then the person got on the plane and stayed. So I'm not buying the "shock and fear" of it all.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

12. Yeah, that empty middle seat will make a huge difference.

[crickets]

14. Why are there stricter standards for interior dining

than there are for flying? If it isn't safe to sit in restaurant for an hour, there's no way it's safe to sit in a full plane. No one is trying to shut down airlines for operating, much less operating in an unsafe manner. Why is that? /s

[beachbumbob]

15. My wife and I will most likely never fly again, go on a cruise

And perhaps never RV again. The risk not worth the outcome.

[Merlot]

18. Why not RV?

Are you talking about renting an RV? I'm needing to travel and usually rent a car/suv for trips. Am wondering if this is safe now? I know they clean the interiors of the car (and I could clean it as well), but what about the A/C system, would that be a risk factor?

[Tipperary]

21. Why would you not RV?

Do you rent them? Sanitize first or leave in the hot sun for a day, and you should be fine. I am a long time tent camper, I feel safe with that always. And my big dogs enforce social distancing. Thinking about a tear drop camper, but still not sure...

[LizBeth]

16. I would be wearing glasses too. I mean, I would not be there, I do not like flying and still

isolating. But if I was there, floaty virus can get in eyes.

[Midnight Writer]

17. Yes, I wear wrap around safety glasses in public. The eyes are vulnerable entry points for viruses.