‘Never felt less safe.’ Video shows passengers packed onto American Airlines flight
When stepping onto an airplane before the COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn’t too shocking to find out that flight was full. It was a common irritation that was dealt with an exasperated sigh.
But now, the coronavirus has changed normalcy in the world as we know it and what was once only mildly bothersome can be downright terrifying now.
Erin Strine, after spending more than a month of self-quarantine in Brooklyn, New York, boarded an American Airlines flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, according to cbsdfw.com. Strine said she experienced something that is disconcerting when it comes to traveling during this now post-COVID world.
“Well silly me thinking that an airline would adhere to social distancing guidelines,” Strine tweeted along with a video of passengers sitting elbow-to-elbow. “Currently (aboard) a nearly full @AmericanAir flight and I’ve never felt less safe or cared for in my entire life.”
Strine’s grandmother had died and she was flying home to be with her family, and the experience of boarding a crowded plane was a lot to handle.
“I just started to panic,” Strine told WBTV. “I had people on both sides of me. Every row around me, next to me, behind me, were completely full.”
WBTV reached out to American Airlines for a statement about how it was keeping passengers safe if social distancing wasn’t an option.
The airline responded with a statement via a spokesperson:
“Last month, in response to CDC social distancing guidelines, American began temporarily relaxed seating policies for customers on our flights and reduced onboard food and beverage service levels. To encourage social distancing, gate agents will reassign seats to create more space between customers. Once onboard — provided there aren’t any aircraft weight or balance restrictions — customers can move to another seat within their ticketed cabin subject to availability.
We encourage our customers to follow CDC guidelines and have flexible waivers posted on aa.com. These allow all of our customers, who have travel booked through Sept. 30, to rebook without any change fees for any flight through December 2021. Those details are on the top of aa.com.”
The spokesperson didn’t inform WBTV of the number of seats that were sold on Strine’s flight when requested by the station.
“They actually came over the speakers to say the flight was nearly full and that people would not be able to move seats to social distance,” Strine said. “If they need to fill the flight to the capacity that they did on that New York to Charlotte flight, then you need to be handing out masks and requiring your passengers to wear them for their safety and the safety of others.”
The airline also said that the CDC is not requiring masks for passengers.
“I really felt like my life and the life of everyone around me was at risk,” Strine said. “I just sat there silently crying into my mask because I was really overwhelmed by how unsafe I felt.”
This story was originally published April 27, 2020 at 3:44 PM with the headline "‘Never felt less safe.’ Video shows passengers packed onto American Airlines flight."