Average US flight 17 pax
 

"Even after grounding more than 3,000 aircraft, or nearly 50% of the active U.S. fleet, the group said its member carriers, which include the four largest U.S. airlines, are averaging just 17 passengers per domestic flight and 29 passengers per international flight."

https://www.foxbusiness.com/money/co...travel-decline

Shouldn't have to worry about social distancing at this rate.

I really can't see any significant improvement until such a time that:
a) An effective vaccine is found and available, or b) an effective treatment is found which can effectively and successfully treat anyone who becomes infected.

Got another update from my buddy Ed Bastain at Delta.

Here's the new plan for packing the planes:

What will be the net effect on ticket pricing because of this?

Think they have a long way to go from 17 pax to 60% capacity and that 60% will be paying for the empty 40% seats too!

And, with these new seating plans, will some seats actually be removed to save weight if they won't be used for a while? Will the FAA required number of flight attendants be reduced under 121.391? Seems like traditionally seating capacity for Part 121 purposes meant installed seats even of they were blocked for some reason.

No one wants to fly unless they have to. That is the be all and end all of it . POTUS can twitter as much as he likes, but people will not fly unless they have had it or know they have had it .

So, if those 17 pax show up on a 777 they only need one flight attendant?

That's a new one on me. ;)

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/121.391

Seating capped at 50% in first class & 60% in main cabin.

Nice lip service on social distancing.

Maybe the PM will do double duty. Does that count?

Looks like United has not implemented social distancing seating on some flights yet.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ec028e9553.jpg

Well, you just told me above it depended on the actual number of pax and not the seats:

Do you know or are you making this up as you go along? :confused:

I think you've just admitted that you don't know what you are talking about.

I have been on nine flights since the quarantines went into effect and the number of passengers have varied from zero to 100 or so, with the median being about fifteen. These were all on aircraft with capacity around 300. The number of flight attendants really won’t change because they need to have enough for the trip out and back, and It’s not like they are short of personnel. What strikes me now, after having to line up with the rest of the passengers at ORD to deplane one at a time for health screening, is how much of a pain in the butt this is going to be once the planes are full again. People are going to freak out if they have to sit next to a stranger, and some airlines block the middle seats, some block the aisle seats, etc. Not to mention health forms, mandatory mask wearing and reductions in service. It is going to be a long summer for those of us who fly for a living.

Don't forget the TSA - you know changes are coming.

I have actually noticed that security screening lines are back in some places at some times, but mostly because there is only one checkpoint open.

Personally I think that the airlines will block x- number of seats “in the interest of crew & passenger safety” until the day after the number of booked seats is equal to or is greater than the seat capacity minus x, at which point flying with full cabins will once again be deemed safe as brick houses.

Delta statement: "Face coverings will be required starting in the check-in lobby and across Delta touchpoints including Delta Sky Clubs, boarding gate areas, jet bridges and on board the aircraft for the duration of the flight -- except during meal service."

That's good to see! This is a country on the move, we can't sit still for too long, people are getting edgy. The 2.2 million forecasted dead by that UK expert (cheater) was a hoax.

Great photos of all the different masks - the child in me just wants to deploy the oxy masks!

Hear hear.......