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Delta Leaves Middle Seats Empty As Others Fill Them
Airlines are a lot like tech companies. A mere few hold almost all the power. Just as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft dominate tech, four airlines -- American, United, Delta, and Southwest -- own more than 80% of all the nation's seats. Yet here we are in a pandemic, where management approaches in all businesses are being severely tested. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how United Airlines is planning to resume its flights from San Francisco to Shanghai -- a route often… (www.zdnet.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
It is awesome how Delta leadership has the long-view and the wisdom to take the steps they take, as they are surely going to bring Delta out of the pandemic as the world's #1 airline. Brilliant on their part!!!!!
You don’t need scientific data to prove that 50 fewer people on an airplane equals 50 less chances of spreading Covid! It’s a numbers game more than a distance game. I fly for a living and often ride commercial to get back home or onto my next gig. Over the past ten years I have chosen to book Delta or Southwest over any other airline for the exact reasons mentioned in this article. Customer service is a huge factor for the flying public when determining which airline to fly. Next time you board an airplane pay attention to the attitudes and actions of the Flight Attendants and you will understand what I am talking about. American and United could learn a lot from Delta and Southwest!
With aircraft cabin recycled air the passengers at the left and right cabin windows are breathing a percentage of the same air whether the middle seat is open or blocked.
Some aircraft types provide for turning off the recirculating air fans due to air quality. It is not an abnormal procedure. Fresh pressurized air comes in and dirty air goes out.
Flying for long hours with recycled cabin air and wearing a mask results in poor oxygen intake in my opinion.
For the time being I plan to avoid Air Terminals and aircraft air travel.
Some aircraft types provide for turning off the recirculating air fans due to air quality. It is not an abnormal procedure. Fresh pressurized air comes in and dirty air goes out.
Flying for long hours with recycled cabin air and wearing a mask results in poor oxygen intake in my opinion.
For the time being I plan to avoid Air Terminals and aircraft air travel.
You don't know what you're talking about.
Recirc fans help the packs cycle air through the HEPA filters. Air moves from top to bottom and front to back.
Recirc fans help the packs cycle air through the HEPA filters. Air moves from top to bottom and front to back.
40 years in aviation. 22,843 logged hours. AD-6, AD-7,DC-6, DC-7, DC-10, Electra,707, 720, 727,747,757,767,777.
Doesn't change the fact you're wrong.
Air moves top to bottom and front to back whether the recirc fans are on or off. Turning them off just slows down the airflow. Not a single fleet at Delta turns off the recirc fans. It's better to leave them on and keep the air moving through the HEPA filters.
Fresh air still enters the cabin from the packs. Recirc fans simply help the packs move more air.
Air moves top to bottom and front to back whether the recirc fans are on or off. Turning them off just slows down the airflow. Not a single fleet at Delta turns off the recirc fans. It's better to leave them on and keep the air moving through the HEPA filters.
Fresh air still enters the cabin from the packs. Recirc fans simply help the packs move more air.
This is true, but (a) the fraction of recycled air vs fresh air can generally be controlled within a range, and I believe Delta and other good operators are running quite a lot more fresh than normal during these times. Also (b) the recycled air is also in most cases passing through a HEPA filter on the way back around, and this should stop or at least seriously limit the recirculating of virus particles. Of course, if the person two seats from you has a coughing fit, and is positive, you need local protection as well, which is why I'm only flying with a proper N95 mask at minimum for now.
a) incorrect. They're using the same procedures as always for airflow. b) 100% of the recycled air goes through the HEPA.
SARS doesn't float around like dust. It's attached to droplets that fall. So the only way you're getting infected on a plane is someone close to you coughs/sneezes/breathes in your direction. So yes, if the person two seats over turns to you and sneezes, and for some reason REMOVED their mask, then you would need an N95.
SARS doesn't float around like dust. It's attached to droplets that fall. So the only way you're getting infected on a plane is someone close to you coughs/sneezes/breathes in your direction. So yes, if the person two seats over turns to you and sneezes, and for some reason REMOVED their mask, then you would need an N95.
I wasn't saying the control the percentage of recycled air that goes through the HEPA filters, that should always be 100%. I was saying they have some control over how many CFM of fresh air they inject, vs how many CFM of air is recycled through the filters. Yes, compressing fresh air from the lower pressure outside takes work (energy), so some airline skimp on that. I am fairly sure that Delta is not skimping at all nowadays, but is injecting at or near the maximum CFM of fresh outside air possible...
I see. Yes that's somewhat correct. Only thing is, the ratio can't be changed aside from turning off the recirc fans. Which, as discussed elsewhere, would actually result in less total CFM moving through the cabin (ironically enough) and would require more bleed air to balance out.
Bleed air alone results in 100% fresh air, but at a very low CFM rate. Adding the recirc fans dramatically boosts CFM flow while reducing the load on the engines. And since all recirculated air passes through a HEPA filter, the overall safety is increased due to the increased speed of the air being replaced in the cabin. On average the entire volume of the cabin is replaced every two minutes with everything running normally.
Bleed air alone results in 100% fresh air, but at a very low CFM rate. Adding the recirc fans dramatically boosts CFM flow while reducing the load on the engines. And since all recirculated air passes through a HEPA filter, the overall safety is increased due to the increased speed of the air being replaced in the cabin. On average the entire volume of the cabin is replaced every two minutes with everything running normally.
Yes, I don't worry about the safety of the recirculated air, only about the dispersion from either nearby or "upwind" passengers (those for I am between them and the nearest return air entrance). That is certainly moderated if everyone is wearing a cloth mask, but since I have a small supply of proper N95 masks, I am saving them for my job required air travel...
Understandable. N95 certainly doesn't hurt. Luckily the only pax you have to worry about are the ones pointed right at you, which is pretty much no one since the middle seat is empty. And since air flows primarily top to bottom, there really isn't a "downwind" to worry about (The front to back portion is very slow).
Yeah, and the passenger directly behind, who takes off their mask for a drink, and then coughs a big cloud over the top of the seat in front of them, which puts it all over me :) Hence the N95 :)
Boy I would think the chances are pretty small for that to happen on a Delta flight.
They're banning those types of people.
I suppose it could happen by accident, but even then they'd have to be caught by surprise by their own cough. So you're talking about a single cough aimed up and over your seat back. I don't think I've ever seen anyone cough up before!
They're banning those types of people.
I suppose it could happen by accident, but even then they'd have to be caught by surprise by their own cough. So you're talking about a single cough aimed up and over your seat back. I don't think I've ever seen anyone cough up before!
Well, yes, not a huge chance, but I've definitely seem people cough on flights pretty heavily. Presumably someone who knew they were sick or feverish wouldn't board, but they do seem to mostly be relying on *asking* people, and some might not know, or might not care (some people are just that way), so I figure having some backup just in case isn't a bad idea :)
Fair enough. I have to travel for work also. I'm just happy I'm able to do it on Delta. They're definitely a tier above everyone else.
Yep, been flying Delta since 1968 (when I was 6). North of 2 MM on Delta and not 10 segments on other airlines in my life :)
Wow! That's impressive. I've got a couple more years to get to 1 MM. See you up there.