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OBSOLETE COVID THREAD Flight Cabin

OBSOLETE COVID THREAD
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dfox

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Time of past OR future Camino
2017
Would greatly appreciate folks' experience / observations in a 8~10 hour flight in terms of fellow passengers wearing masks or double-masks, seating tightly in their seats, going to washroom for a 8 ~ 10 hour flight. Did passengers wear mask, social distancing or ignore the requirements? Thanks,
 
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The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Would greatly appreciate folks' experience / observations in a 8~10 hour flight in terms of fellow passengers wearing masks or double-masks, seating tightly in their seats, going to washroom for 8 ~ 10 hours. Did passengers wear mask, social distancing or ignore the requirements? Thanks,
Ignoring requirements on the common carriers is not an option. All passengers will comply with the requirements unless there is a recognized, medically excused exemption (rare). That does not mean that all airlines require the same levels of masking, nor do the various regulatory agencies internationally have the same requirements for airlines.

If the question is one of concern for your health against other passengers lax judgement, check your airlines requirements and decide if their stated regulations alleviate those concerns, as your fellow passengers will be following the rules or be dealt with accordingly.

If the question is what you, personally, will be required to do in order to fully comply with the rules, then check with your airline and be ready to do what they stipulate when you board the flight.

I have not been on any flight, domestic or international, where passengers get to do whatever they feel like about masking and seat occupation.
 
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Multiple flights since COVID easing and always 100% compliance with masks. A few double-masked, but most don’t. Airline advocated that you change masks after five hours. Folks getting up to stretch, use the restroom, etc. was the same as before. It’s unnerving to be in a container metal tube shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of strangers, but that’s just how it is.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
My husband said on his flights to Spain people did wear their masks unless eating or drinking. He was in a row with 4 empty seats on Lufthansa after his Air France flight was delayed due to mechanical problems in Denver. He said he was served meals which he had not anticipated and there were not many people on the flight in general. On his subsequent flight into Madrid from Munich people were reminded to put their masks back on after drinking. Both flights were on Lufthansa.
 
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My first flights during Covid were a nightmare…. People not wearing masks, or not properly, even the flight crew! Honestly, I felt like I was playing Russian roulette!
But recently it has been all OK. People do wear masks and the staff ensure they do. You’ll be fine 🙂 Are you vaccinated?
 
I used United coming from New York Airport non stop to Madrid. There was no distancing between most on the waiting lines, until we got through security. But people did wear masks (mandatory). We sat in one of the United Clubs waiting for our flight. People did wear masks and tried to socially distance themselves. Frequent public announcements to do so. Par for the course UA 51 to Madrid was 2hrs late leaving. We were all lined up ready to go when an announcement said the food-service hadn’t arrived and the flght would be delayed?? We stood in close proximity for an hour. I got out of line…. and found a more acceptable space.

Everyone wore masks on the plane. On bathroom lines on board it was impossible to socially distance oneself…even in business class. Make sure you bring sanitizers. Touch nothing in the bathrooms and clean hands frequently or as appropriate. I sanitized my tray table, chair handles, and any knobs I might use wth clorox wipes when I boarded.

I was fortunate to get a booster shot 20 days before flying, so I had comfort knowing that I would not get terribly sick if I contracted Covid. But without it,I honestly would have been uncomfortable with the complete lack of distancing onlines.
 
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Recently flew from Jarkarta >> Doha >> Los Angeles. All three flights we had to be fully masked (except for meal times). I didn't see anyone try and fight it, thank goodness. Qatar Airways gave out little sanitizer kits with wipes and lotion.

I chuckled because the flight attendants had to announce "please practice social distancing"- virtually impossible after the fasten seat belt goes off after landing.
 
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Not sure I'm ready to sit in a metal tube for 24 hours with 500 other people :oops:
Still too many uncertainties for me as new outbreaks, and waves occur in different parts of the World.
But if things settle down in the coming months, I'll hopefully manage a Camino in 2022.
 
My first flights during Covid were a nightmare…. People not wearing masks, or not properly, even the flight crew! Honestly, I felt like I was playing Russian roulette!
But recently it has been all OK. People do wear masks and the staff ensure they do. You’ll be fine 🙂 Are you vaccinated?
I'm fully vaccinated with 2 does of Moderna in June, 2021.
 
I recently flew from Honolulu to JFK to Frankfurt, then Brussels to Newark to Honolulu. Each flight was about 10 hours. On the one from JFK to Frankfurt, they asked for double masks, everywhere else was normal masking. The seating was fairly spread out and flight attendants didn't mind if you could snag a more comfy seat (unless it was an upgrade). I enjoyed the opportunity to have totally uninterrupted time to myself. I caught up on movies and tv shows, got extra coffee and drinks (!), even had some nice conversations. Catch up on some work, read a good book or play a game on your device, especially snooze!!! Everyone on all flights had to have been fully vaccinated and, on the flight from Brussels, everyone had to have had a negative Covid test within the previous 72 hours. I felt very safe.
Oh, and yeah, everyone was very respectful of the flight attendants and fellow passengers.
 
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Would greatly appreciate folks' experience / observations in a 8~10 hour flight in terms of fellow passengers wearing masks or double-masks, seating tightly in their seats, going to washroom for a 8 ~ 10 hour flight. Did passengers wear mask, social distancing or ignore the requirements? Thanks,
I just returned from Spain after three weeks there. I flew RT from Chicago to Madrid with a one way flight to San Sebastian where I started the Norte. Iberia is very clear about masks and there was never a question about whether compliance was an option; it is expected and required. This is also true on all mass transit and, when in crowded areas, outdoors as well. I was impressed how the mascarilla mandate was adhered to without complaint.
In my experience, on the plane, the only time one removed one's mask was during food/drink service. The expection was to put the mask back on as soon as one was finished. There was not a double-mask requirement.
On 9/24, for U.S. citizens at least, Spain has put into effect the requirement of a negative covid test and proof of vaccination. The data suggests Spain is doing far better than the U.S. in vaccination rates and with declining rates of infection.
 
I live in Mexico and you never hear about the madness that happens on flights in the United States. I have flown twice to San Antonio for Covid vaccines and once to New York to visit my daughters and everyone is masked unless they are eating. I do not eat or drink anything on the flights preferring to stay masked the whole time. Tomorrow I fly to San Antonio again for my Pfizer booster and expect no problems again.
The true test will come on October 10 when I fly Mexico City to Madrid. That one is over 10 hours ugggggggg.
 
It is also good to remember, that the airplanes have an effective air filtering system, and the air in the cabin is constantly circulated. Combined with everybody using masks it is a relatively safe enviroment.
 
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It is also good to remember, that the airplanes have an effective air filtering system, and the air in the cabin is constantly circulated. Combined with everybody using masks it is a relatively safe enviroment.
Exactly! Those exchanges of filtered air every 3-5 minutes makes airline flights safer to me than eating in a closed restaurant where air circulation is questionable and folks are not masked. :)
 
Would greatly appreciate folks' experience / observations in a 8~10 hour flight in terms of fellow passengers wearing masks or double-masks, seating tightly in their seats, going to washroom for a 8 ~ 10 hour flight. Did passengers wear mask, social distancing or ignore the requirements? Thanks,
I flew from Canada and the requirements on every flight were strictly upheld. People wore masks. No gathering to wait for washrooms. People were not allowed to change their seats. I did upgrade to economy premium, so that there would be less people in my cabin. The only time I was uncomfortable was when food arrived and everyone took off their masks to eat. I did not. I took a bite, put my mask on to chew. Maybe overkill, but I just had a lot of anxiety about it. Everyone entering the EU must be vaccinated, so that helped my anxiety, but I still am very careful. I just flew out at the end of August and back mid Sept.
 
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I live in Mexico and you never hear about the madness that happens on flights in the United States. I have flown twice to San Antonio for Covid vaccines and once to New York to visit my daughters and everyone is masked unless they are eating. I do not eat or drink anything on the flights preferring to stay masked the whole time. Tomorrow I fly to San Antonio again for my Pfizer booster and expect no problems again.
The true test will come on October 10 when I fly Mexico City to Madrid. That one is over 10 hours ugggggggg.
It is good to realize that the reality of one place, is not the reality of others.
 
Would greatly appreciate folks' experience / observations in a 8~10 hour flight in terms of fellow passengers wearing masks or double-masks, seating tightly in their seats, going to washroom for a 8 ~ 10 hour flight. Did passengers wear mask, social distancing or ignore the requirements? Thanks,
My husband is doing his third Camino Frances now. He flew from JFK in New York last Wednesday on American Airlines. He had to wear a mask and be vaccinated to board the flight.
 
Would greatly appreciate folks' experience / observations in a 8~10 hour flight in terms of fellow passengers wearing masks or double-masks, seating tightly in their seats, going to washroom for a 8 ~ 10 hour flight. Did passengers wear mask, social distancing or ignore the requirements? Thanks,
Another comment - the flight was not crowded going to Spain.
 
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Not sure I'm ready to sit in a metal tube for 24 hours with 500 other people :oops:
Still too many uncertainties for me as new outbreaks, and waves occur in different parts of the World.
But if things settle down in the coming months, I'll hopefully manage a Camino in 2022.
Looks like we may be able to fly from Darwin direct to London around 15 hours. I think this would be much easier than the 28 hours we are used to from Hobart. We would however need to get to Darwin.
 
Looks like we may be able to fly from Darwin direct to London around 15 hours. I think this would be much easier than the 28 hours we are used to from Hobart. We would however need to get to Darwin.

That could be a good option!
No transit required en-route, or at least the transit is still within Australia.

I think there is a direct one from Perth too isn't there?

I'm one of those crazy people that loves long flights.
It's a chance to switch off, watch a load of new movies, have a nice meal and some wine........
Sounds a bit like lockdown, just at 35,000 feet :rolleyes:

Hmm. Maybe that's why lockdowns and basically being at home for 18 months hasn't bothered me....... :oops:
 
That could be a good option!
No transit required en-route, or at least the transit is still within Australia.

I think there is a direct one from Perth too isn't there?

I'm one of those crazy people that loves long flights.
It's a chance to switch off, watch a load of new movies, have a nice meal and some wine........
Sounds a bit like lockdown, just at 35,000 feet :rolleyes:

Hmm. Maybe that's why lockdowns and basically being at home for 18 months hasn't bothered me....... :oops:
Good thoughts. The Perth flight will no longer be happening for some time due to WA restrictions on interstate travel. I agree I am happy for long flights but in the new age we might like no stopovers in some locations. But I am looking forward to walking in Spain again.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
My husband said on his flights to Spain people did wear their masks unless eating or drinking. He was in a row with 4 empty seats on Lufthansa after his Air France flight was delayed due to mechanical problems in Denver. He said he was served meals which he had not anticipated and there were not many people on the flight in general. On his subsequent flight into Madrid from Munich people were reminded to put their masks back on after drinking. Both flights were on Lufthansa.
My wife and I flew from Madrid to Atlanta yesterday on Delta. Everything went very well. All passengers were in compliance as far as I could see, and the Delta crew was great. It was the same on our flight to Madrid three weeks ago.

We were also impressed with how seriously Covid was treated in Spain. I would estimate that 90 to 95% of those we saw were masked outside in the cities and towns. Even on the Camino some were wearing masks. Again, we felt very safe.
 
There and back again from from Spain last month. Everyone was fully masked on both flights except when eating and drinking.
Same; on Air Canada, back and forth from Montreal to Lisbon.

Flight over (end of August) was sparsely populated; only about 1/2 seats full.

Hoped for same coming back, but was quite full 20th Sept!
 
I flew in June and in September, and both times it was the same: domestic flights were pretty full, but on international flights there was more room and more empty seats. On the international flights, too, the stewards/stewardesses allowed people to make seat changes and spread out.

Everyone was masked except to eat and drink. Also, on the Spanish domestic flights, the stewards/stewardesses let people off the plane a few rows at a time. This prevented people from crowding the aisle.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Also, on the Spanish domestic flights, the stewards/stewardesses let people off the plane a few rows at a time. This prevented people from crowding the aisle.
I wish they would do this on all the flights. Unloading, for me, is probably the most stressful part of the flight as everyone jams in the aisles and hangs over anyone staying in their seat.
 
I wish they would do this on all the flights. Unloading, for me, is probably the most stressful part of the flight as everyone jams in the aisles and hangs over anyone staying in their seat.
Unless I have a tight connection I just stay in my seat until the mad stampede to get off is over.
 
Would greatly appreciate folks' experience / observations in a 8~10 hour flight in terms of fellow passengers wearing masks or double-masks, seating tightly in their seats, going to washroom for a 8 ~ 10 hour flight. Did passengers wear mask, social distancing or ignore the requirements? Thanks,
I accidentally forgot to put my mask back on after taking some medication on my 9/14/21 flight. The Delta flight attendant asked me to put it back on. Everyone masked except for eating and actively having a drink kept their mask on.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I accidentally forgot to put my mask back on after taking some medication on my 9/14/21 flight. The Delta flight attendant asked me to put it back on. Everyone masked except for eating and actively having a drink kept their mask on.
Just the same to and from Lisbon ex Montreal, via Air Canada.
 
For me...the airport terminal and congested TSA lines are of far more concern than the actual flight. With sensible masking and HEPA filtration I'm reading that flying is likely one of the safer activities we can do. Clearly there is still some risk, but with all international passengers vaccinated, and masked during flight, the cabin environment is, arguably, a bit safer (cleaner) now than it was 18 months ago. Of course, I bet there are still a few souls trundling off to the toilets barefoot. The mind boggles!!
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
I just returned from Spain after three weeks there. I flew RT from Chicago to Madrid with a one way flight to San Sebastian where I started the Norte. Iberia is very clear about masks and there was never a question about whether compliance was an option; it is expected and required. This is also true on all mass transit and, when in crowded areas, outdoors as well. I was impressed how the mascarilla mandate was adhered to without complaint.
In my experience, on the plane, the only time one removed one's mask was during food/drink service. The expection was to put the mask back on as soon as one was finished. There was not a double-mask requirement.
On 9/24, for U.S. citizens at least, Spain has put into effect the requirement of a negative covid test and proof of vaccination. The data suggests Spain is doing far better than the U.S. in vaccination rates and with declining rates of infection.
Sad that we are doing so poorly...
 
Flew from Madrid to Dallas/Ft Worth on Tuesday the 28th. Man on our row across the aisle wasn’t wearing a mask. Guy behind him had no mask. Both put masks on for landing so they didn’t have an exemption. Man two rows up from me wasn’t wearing a mask. A passenger let a flight attendant know. She said something to the maskless passenger and he put his mask on briefly. Within a few minutes he was standing in the aisle with his mask around his neck. Eventually another attendant was talking to him but never asked him to put his mask on. He put his mask on to leave the plane. The other three flights we took on this trip, everyone I could see complied.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Well I was on a recent flight and a fellow passenger was nursing a coffee with their mask off. And another just dident have it on. I got up and went to the bathroom and discreetly alerted the crew. They handled it well, waiting until I was seated a few minutes before they casually reminded the passenger who complied.

Yes you may be in a box with 500 people. But they are 500 who are Vacinated or negatively tested, and taking the rates of positive in the destinations it should be possible to work out very roughly what the chances are of sombody being positive on the flight. Or even sitting near you. Take the reality of that number into your decision rather than just relying just on feelings and emotion (which are important too!)
 
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Sad that we are doing so poorly...
We are doing pretty well. As of today the CDC Covid tracker show 75.8% of 12 and older (all the ages that are eligible have had at least one vaccination shot. 65.4% of that same group is fully vaccinated. We are gaining ground bit by bit. In the golden oldie population of which my husband and I are members the numbers are 94.2 and 83.6 respectively. In addition, 7.4% of jubilados have had a booster shot. We are still waiting to hear from our county health department for ours. :)
🥾💉🩹= camino!!
 
You have toook at the percentage of total population vaccinated, not just % of eligible. In this, the US is far behind Portugal, Spain and dozens of other countries.
Screenshot_20211003-164211_Firefox.jpg

 
You have toook at the percentage of total population vaccinated, not just % of eligible. In this, the US is far behind Portugal, Spain and dozens of other countries.
View attachment 110422

You cannot vaccinate or count that percentage of the population that cannot take the vaccine because it has yet to be approved for them to take, so you can only truly look at those eligible. If you want to look at percentage of total population It would seem then that Spain and Portugal have older populations so perhaps higher percentage of the population were eligible and took the vaccination while the US has a lower percentage of citizens who can receive the vaccine at this point in time. Aren't statistics fun?
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
You cannot vaccinate or count that percentage of the population that cannot take the vaccine because it has yet to be approved for them to take, so you can only truly look at those eligible. If you want to look at percentage of total population It would seem then that Spain and Portugal have older populations so perhaps higher percentage of the population were eligible and took the vaccination while the US has a lower percentage of citizens who can receive the vaccine at this point in time. Aren't statistics fun?
Yes, statistics are great. You can make them say anything you want. Most people wouldn't know what a chi sq test was if it bit them in the backside. And as for a confidence interval, I wouldn't dare ask. And no, a P test has nothing to do with the quality of the sanitary arrangements. So, as we can't assess the method, why should we believe the summary?
 
Yes, statistics are great. You can make them say anything you want. Most people wouldn't know what a chi sq test was if it bit them in the backside. And as for a confidence interval, I wouldn't dare ask. And no, a P test has nothing to do with the quality of the sanitary arrangements. So, as we can't assess the method, why should we believe the summary?

As I've said from the outset of this thing... our data collection methods have been so poor, and hasty data releases so dirty that we may never be able to clean them up at any level of health unit. The epidemiologists and virologists in the labs are fighting each other; the infectious disease clinicians are pontificating based on anecdata; the public are cherry-picking; and public health units are acting based on a heady combination of political leanings of the "boss" and general fear of litigation.

In all of that, we eventually have to find a way to live in the dirty biological stew that is the mammalian web of sometimes zoonotic life.

All said from my home-office where I am confined with am exhausting chest-cold that I managed to pick up in spite of always masking, having very few contacts (precisely 2) outside of my 4-member family (self included).
 
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Inflamed and/or inflammatory generalizations about both statistics and pandemic response are not very informative about conditions in the flight cabins!
Oh... I wasn't trying to be inflammatory, rather the opposite.... noting that it's very difficult for the best trained researchers to work with messy data, and so we ought to just do our best in a messy world of biological realities to minimize our role in transmission.... and noting: we might still end up with something *else* in spite of ourselves.
*CANNOT BELIEVE* I have a cold. Honestly, I think it's because I went for a hike with my 1 friend whose daughter ad just come home from university for her birthday... and I'm super vulnerable to colds and flus.
:(
 
OK, but you sounded a tad inflamed - opinion-wise as well as chest-wise! Get well soon!
Am trying.... so exhausted from coughing up my liver.

You can feel free to delete my post up-thread.... the only real point is as I said in my post #46: experts are fighting over the data, which is no surprise to anyone who works in any health-related field, so there's no point in laypersons aiming to tie themselves in knots... and every reason to keep following the mask and distance guidelines.... And I say that with real hope that we are not going to give a new round of mutations any real chances... combination: vaccination and public health measures... and maybe we can put the worst of this all behind us even though it's always going to be with us.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
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