I did tweet on UAs site. Also sent complaints. I live IL where United is based so will also email our congressmen. It’s not ok to blatantly lie to the public.
Meanwhile someone unfriended me on FB for sharing this.
It’s the truth. I’m going to speak the truth and hopefully save others from unnecessary exposures.
There are many states that have quarantine requirements for those traveling in. Mine (Ohio), has one. According to this article, nearly 30 states have some restrictions: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/04/04/coronavirus-travel-restrictions-us-states-quarantine-requirements/2947021001/
^^ best to check right before travel. Not up to date. SC has lifted restrictions on OOS travelers.
You’ll have to wait a long time, sadly.
So far we’ve missed/ cancelled - teens’ choir trip to Disneyland in late March; family (minus oldest) spring break trip to New Mexico in early April; my 30th college reunion in St Louis in April; oldest’s spring break road trip to WA in late March; husband’s work trip to Switzerland in early May; husband’s work trip to Shanghai in early June; hubby and I fun trip to Quebec in late June; middle kid likely camp job in Minnesota in June (wasn’t booked yet). Also my parents were going to come here for middle kid’s hs graduation but tickets weren’t yet booked. We added a one-way flight from SFO to Portland and then a drive back here in a rental truck in late March for my husband to help our oldest move back here (that would have happened in mid-June anyway without Covid so I guess that’s not really an add, just moving to a different month).
The next trip out is going to be cancelled but I have this irrational hope that it will still happen this year (it won’t… we’ll do it in 2021 hopefully but I’m just not ready to actually cancel until we have to) which is a family vacation to see relatives in Australia and then go to Vanuatu. Neither of those countries are allowing nonresidents in right now though (I think Australia is but you need to quarantine for 2 weeks so that’s basically pointless to go).
I think we’ve either gotten refunds or credits for almost everything. The one thing I’m pissed about the refund policy is my youngest kid’s summer camp (Digital Media Academy) - no refund, only credit for camp for next summer. They don’t have to pay counselors or teaching staff and probably don’t have to pay the venue they were going to use for the space so I’m not sure why they aren’t giving at least partial refunds for families that would prefer that to a credit.
It’s all ‘first-world problems’ and tbh I’m kind of enjoying the slower pace of life (although summer is going to be LONG for the kids). My big hope is that my middle kid can actually go to college this fall and if that happens we’ll have to work out whether it makes more sense to go by air or by car… probably by car as it’s about a 13 hour drive so we can do it in one long day or stay overnight somewhere on the way up, then drive the rest of the way and move her in. (From about 15 miles south of San Francisco to Portland).
I think one can feel sad about the plight of the passenger airline carriers, and still enjoy the lack of stress that comes more often is while flying. Though some of those full flights sound uncomfortable. I only fly on Southwest, Alaska and Delta, and have not seen full flights.
I feel terrible about all the people who will lose their jobs in the airline industry, as I know exactly how it feels. They have, however, had a better deal than most people who have lost jobs. Pay for six months and companies not allowed to furlough till October. They surely need to save that money, as it could take many years for the airline industry to come back.
The link you posted was from the beginning of April. Not up to date at all.
During our video brunch, son advised he is not sure when he’ll be comfortable traveling to visit us. He’s very cautious, but we’re the at risk demographic, so it likely would be him to us. Not to mention he doesn’t have room for us in his apartment and we have the house and yard.
It’s been six months since we’ve seen him and I’ve been getting more depressed about it all day, which is why I’m still up. He’s thought about driving but (1) he would be alone in his old car (we’ve noted this would be a good time to buy a new car) for the 20 hour trip and (2) concerns of staying in hotels, finding food, etc.
I’ve thought of Amtrak with a private roomette but that’s highly expensive.
If he flew, it would be Seattle-San Diego round trip, likely on Southwest or maybe Alaska. Hopefully as we move into summer the safety measures will firm up and he’ll try it. But maybe not. I miss him.
Maybe you could splurge for him to go via Amtrak in a roomette. It’s a lovely overnight ride. If you precook at a good time, there can be some nice deals.
H and I booked a roomette on Amtrak with our kids, LA to Seattle when S graduated from college. We had a good time and train food was surprisingly good. Room service was included in roomette price.
@Marilyn , is he afraid to expose you two? Otherwise, there’s no reason to be afraid to fly right now. I’ve seen plenty of young people flying. I doubt it’s any more risk than going to the grocery store, if he takes precautions
@busdriver11 - You aren’t seated next to someone shoulder to shoulder for hours in the market. Didn’t think that was being allowed on airplanes either until I experienced it first hand myself yesterday.
@momofsenior1 , that must have been pretty shocking, when you don’t expect it. I probably would wait until the last minute to book a ticket, so I can have a good idea of the loads, and can make my choice accordingly, booking one way tickets so I’m not locked into a return date.
For example, I checked the seat availability chart on Alaska and Delta from SAN-SEA on tomorrow and Wednesday. Both airlines have 2-3 flights that have very light loads. Likely that will hold, though one never knows how many crew members and nonrevs will show. But the odds are high those will not be very full flights.
I also checked SEA-SAN those days, looks pretty good also. It’s easy to view.
When I stayed at a hotel recently, I wiped down frequently used surfaces and told them not to bother to clean my room. And for a few days, fast food served me breakfast, lunch dinner. They are open.
If I am seated shoulder to shoulder, I would not be comfortable and feel safe. When I flew I had no one directly in front or behind as well as next to.
Probably more analogous to spending an hour or few eating in a restaurant.
Maybe. However, in a restaurant, you are removing your mask, possibly talking, eating and drinking. It’s also unlikely there is air moving through HEPA filters in a restaurant. Then again, you’re likely sitting closer to people in an airplane than in most restaurants nowadays, if you can find one that’s open.
@busdriver11 - he’s been very careful going out so I don’t think he’s afraid of infecting us. Plus we’re still curious about his bad bout of flu in early February. Maybe he’ll be able to get an antibody test.
But getting to and around the airport(s) is a concern for him in terms of distancing and surfaces. I did look at flights for later this summer (I know he won’t come now) and see Southwest stopped their daily nonstops between SEA-SAN so it would be Alaska. I thought about offering to buy him first class seats. And cover airport parking so he doesn’t need the Light Rail.
We’ll see how things look in a month. Also by then husband may have had his shoulder surgery so that could affect things on our end.
Speaking of Amtrak roomettes, I was looking into that and it appears that the air system is car-wide. Not sure about the filtration system for each room or how much the air is recirculated.
Has anyone taken Uber/Lyft lately? How would you assess the risk?
Taxi or rideshare risk would be high if either the driver or passenger is contagious and could easily pass it to the other in the small enclosed space inside the vehicle. Would opening all of the windows or getting a convertible with the top down mitigate the risk?
If not, then the risk to the passenger would be that of surface contamination from previous passengers in the vehicle.
D is flying home SEA>Indianapolis end of May. Delta has canceled their non-stop; so it’ll be Alaska. She doesn’t have a car, so will Uber to airport.
We’ve told her she has to wear a N95 from home until we pick her up. H is at risk. She is WFH and has been outside her studio apartment one time since mid-March. This is taking a large toll on her mental health.
I’m really hoping air travel is safe!