What Airlines are doing to maintain Your Safety during the Pandemic? | Flightlayaway

Whether you dream of flying thousands of miles to a beautiful beach in Bali or visiting your loved ones on the other side of the country, you may want to know what airlines are doing to keep you safe as the pandemic continues? There was a dramatic decrease in the number of Americans flying in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, but airlines are trying their best to make travel as safe and sound as possible for their passengers. With that in mind, we present you a rundown of everything from travel and health policies to food and beverage supplies to help you make an informed decision for your next travel plans.

Here is what major airlines are doing, from encouraging passengers to bring their own masks to blocking middle seats to assure passengers, it's safe to fly.

Air Canada

Mask Policy: For those over 2 years of age, wearing a face mask while traveling is a requirement issued by Transport Canada. Noncompliance with this requirement could cause a financial penalty.

Middle seats: The airline has eliminated its adjacent empty seat policy, a measure it had implemented at the start of post-pandemic commercial flights. To reduce the risk of sitting next to someone infected, there are extensive "government health measures, as well as departure biosafety measures."

Temperature Checks: As per the Canadian government, all passengers must undergo temperature checks. According to Canadian regulations, if a passenger is found to be coronavirus-positive after the flight ends, information about the passengers 3 rows in front of or behind the infected passenger will be forwarded to the health authority.

Food and beverage: Economy: For flights under 2 hours, a complimentary water bottle service will be available while meal and bar service will not be offered. On flights over 2 hours, for customers who pre-purchased a meal online or who purchased a Latitude fare, a meal box will include a preselected meal and snack item from the Air Canada Bistro. Also, Air Canada Rouge will no longer offer iPads.

Supplies: A free kit provided to all passengers includes 30ml hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial wipes, gloves, a mask (non-surgical), a 250ml water bottle, headphones, and a snack.

Alaska Airlines

Mask Policy: A cloth face mask or covering is mandatory for the duration of your flight, including boarding and deplaning. Mask exceptions apply only to children under the age of 2 (in alignment with CDC age guidelines). If you cannot wear a mask throughout the airport and for the duration of your flight for any reason, you cannot fly with Alaska Airlines. Also, the airline will provide a mask if a passenger forgets to bring one.

 

Middle seats: Passengers who wish to sit together can make reservations in advance or at the airport on the day of travel. If you do not feel comfortable with the distance between you and others on your day of the flight, speak to a customer service representative about your options.

Food and beverage: Free soft drinks, water, coffee, & tea. For flights lasting over three hours, you may pre-purchase fruit & cheese in the airline app.

Entertainment: Tablets have been removed from all flights except those between Hawaii and Florida.

Supplies: If you plan to use commercial wipes on leather seats, you should take extra precaution: "The cloth might appear dirty, but it's actually the dye color that's being removed." Starting in July, individual hand-sanitizer wipes will be available on board.

Allegiant Air

Mask Policy: All customers are required to wear a face-covering over their nose and mouth at all times when traveling to help protect themselves and those around them. Children under 2 are exempt from this requirement.

Middle seats: The airline does not promise to leave middle seats empty for social distance. Instead, they advise customers not to book middle seats unless they are booking them to sit together with the family. Customers may request to be notified when over 65% of flight reservations are full.

Food and beverage: Food, drink, and alcohol are available on the airline's mobile application. Refreshments are only available once per flight. Additional service may be requested.

Supplies: A free kit provided to passengers includes a disposable face mask and two disinfecting wipes.

American Airlines

Mask Policy: The airline's official guidance: "A face covering is required while flying on American, except for children under 2 years old." Passengers may be denied boarding and future travel on American if they refuse to wear one. You can briefly take your face covering off to eat or drink, but you must put it back on when you're done.

Middle Seats: A seat in the middle will not be left empty by American Airlines. Starting July 1, American Airlines is booking cabins to full capacity. If a flight is full, it will give passengers the chance to book another flight free of charge.

Food and Beverage: Water, canned drinks, and juice are available upon request. For distances over 900 miles, free Biscoff cookies are also distributed. No snacks or food is available for sale. Alcohol is not permitted on domestic flights. Alcohol and meals are only served on international flights.

Supplies: Customers will receive sanitizing wipes or gels and face masks as supplies and operational conditions allow.

Delta Air Lines

Mask Policy: All customers must wear a face covering or mask, except for children under 2 years old, and extra masks and wellness kits are available at check-in if you need one. Customers who indicate that they cannot safely wear a mask as a result of a medical condition must go through a "Clearance-to-Fly" application process before their flight.

Middle seats: Delta Air Lines is blocking middle seats in Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+, and Delta Premium Select until April 30, 2021. For groups of three or more people, middle seats will be available for booking, allowing families and travel companions to sit together. On routes where the airline reaches its maximum capacity, the airline will look for opportunities to upsize and add more flights. Flights are boarded from back to front.

Food and Beverage: Passengers receive a sealed snack and a small bottle of water. Flight attendants do not serve alcohol, ice, or plastic cups, and there is no meal service on domestic flights. Alcohol is only permitted in First Class/Comfort+ and flights over 500 miles in premium cabins.

Supplies: "Care kits" with masks and sanitizing wipes are available upon request to customers. Also: "Rest assured all blankets and bedding are laundered after every flight and Main Cabin pillows disposed of after use."

Frontier Airlines

Mask Policy: It is mandatory to wear a face-covering over nose and mouth throughout the Frontier travel experience, including at ticket counters, gate areas, baggage claim, and onboard all flights. The only exception is for children under the age of 2. Passengers must bring their own masks.

Middle seats: Frontier Airlines doesn't promise empty seats in the middle.

Temperature Checks: All passengers and crew members will be subject to temperature screening prior to boarding flights. Anything over 100.4 degrees will not be permitted to fly, including crew members.

Food and beverage: Bottled water only available to passengers upon request.

Supplies: Please bring your own gloves, hand sanitizer, and cleaning wipes.

JetBlue

Mask Policy: All passengers over the age of 2 are required to wear a mask during their journey, including during check-in, boarding, during flight, and upon deplaning. Customers who cannot wear a face covering should delay their travel until this requirement is no longer in effect.

Middle seats: Their larger aircraft don't allow the purchase of middle seats, and most aisle seats are blocked on their smaller aircraft. This was scheduled to last through December 1, 2020. But for the period until January 5, 2021, the plane capacity can only be increased by 85%, and that leaves some middle seats empty (but not all of them) for people who request to sit beside them; please see the instructions on JetBlue's website on how to sit together with your loved ones.

Temperature checks: There is a mandatory health inspection policy for JetBlue employees for temperature checks.

Food and beverage: Snacks are served in single-use pre-sealed packs. Pre-packaged snack boxes are available as normal at charge.

Supplies: Customers can receive disinfectant wipes upon request and are advised to bring their own headphones since the buy-onboard program for headphones has been suspended.

Southwest Airlines

Mask Policy: A mask is mandatory. It is advised to bring your own hand sanitizer and face-covering with you. If you forget your face covering at home, a mask will be available for the passengers.

Middle seats: Due to their policy of limiting capacity, Southwest doesn't use seat assignments but has also pledged to let customers maintain distance on their own.

Food and beverage: They are serving water and snacks on flights over 250 miles, when available. Straws are available on request. All other flights have snack and beverage service suspended until further notice in order to limit close interactions.

Supplies: Passengers can request for free disinfectant wipes.

Spirit Airlines

Mask Policy: Masks are mandatory throughout the flight. The only exception to this policy is children under the age of 2. People who are unable to wear an appropriate face covering, including medical reasons, cannot travel with Spirit Airlines. Passengers should bring their own masks.

Middle seats: The middle seats may be occupied more often on some flights than others. If you have any questions, please contact customer care.

Food and beverage: Snacks, drinks, or alcohol are available upon request.

Supplies: You should bring your own. If you forget, Spirit has options available for $3, but only if they are available.

United Airlines

Mask Policy: Travelers who are not wearing their face coverings may not be permitted to travel in the airport or onboard United flights. Children younger than 2 years old are exempt.

Middle seats: United Airlines does not promise to keep middle seats empty. However, if your flight is expected to be full, United will let you change it without charges or offer a credit toward your next trip.

Temperature checks: United has instituted health inspections, including temperature checks,  for employees at its hub airports, but not at all airports.

Food and beverage: Economy passengers will not receive a beverage unless the flight is more than 2 hours 20 minutes long; refreshments are served in pre-sealed packaging suitable for only one use. The sale of alcohol will begin as a trial on certain major routes that serve Denver starting November 17, 2020. For details, check United's inflight dining information page.

Supplies: Passengers are advised to bring their own face masks. However, customer service agents can offer one free of charge if the passenger forgets to bring one.

So, there we have it. All the latest information on all passenger safety measures that airlines are implementing to help your the decision-making process to redefine and resume travel safely.