Mike FriedmanIn our previous lives, which now feel like a few decades ago, choosing an airline was simple: You found who had the cheapest fares, best loyalty program or most convenient times, and you bought a ticket. If you had mentioned safety as a concern, you risked being laughed at. In 2020 it’s not unusual to hear the statement “if you have to fly….”
These are not normal times, though. Safety matters, and we’re taking a look at who is doing what for their passengers. I don’t know what, if any, distance on an airplane is safe, but I’m going to give credit to those airlines who are at least making an attempt. So if you must fly during the pandemic, here are a few recommendations about who you should choose.
Note: I am not an epidemiologist. I have no medical degree and have been known to get woozy at the sight of blood. In other words, view this post as personal, not medical, advice.
Get Ready. Get Set. Go!
Our winners? Southwest, JetBlue and Delta. Everyone is spacing people apart as they board and doing what they can on the ground. But only a few of them have shown that they’re willing to do more than lip service (i.e., sacrifice revenue).
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines is always a good place to start when you’re looking for customer service in the airline industry, and we’re not seeing any difference during COVID-19. Southwest has vowed to keep the middle seat open on every flight through at least September 30. And since Southwest doesn’t have seat assignments, you won’t have to worry about people moving around. For once, their cattle-car style boarding process actually makes getting on the plane easier.
Why is Southwest doing it? Because it can. It has the lowest costs and best balance sheet in the industry, as well as a ton of fully-owned aircraft that it can borrow against. And while Southwest has been flying with load factors in the 80-90% range for the past decade, that’s an anomaly. In the past, the airline always flew with much lower loads than its competitors. Southwest’s financials are made for crises and I believe that, at least on a relative basis, the airline will come out of the pandemic stronger than when it went in. If you must fly during COVID-19, Southwest could be a great choice.
JetBlue
JetBlue is also blocking middle seats on the bigger aircraft and “most aisle seats” on the smaller jets. I’m not sure what “most” means, but it’s at least a start. The seating arrangement will last until at least September 8. Added bonus: They’re giving crew members an additional 14 days of sick leave, so they don’t feel pressure to come into work if they have a cough.
Why is JetBlue doing it? JetBlue has always been one of the most customer-friendly airlines. Even after it reduced seat pitch (the distance from one seat back to another; also referred to as legroom), it still had the best pitch among domestic carriers. Like Southwest, JetBlue is a low-cost carrier, meaning that it can afford to fly with lower loads.
Delta
Delta is the only one of the big 3 airlines to block out middle seats, along with implementing capacity controls in other cabins. It is also placing limits in other cabins based on the type of service and number of seats. The arrangement is good through September 30.
Why is Delta doing it? Because they’re smart and well-financed. Don’t get me wrong, without some help from the government, they’d still be in deep trouble but, in the game of airlines, everything is relative, and Delta is doing better than either American or United. Over the past few years, Delta has made a strong push on customer service and views on-plane distancing as one competitive advantage. We agree.
Avoid These Airlines
American and United. Both companies are stressing social distancing but not blocking seats on the planes. One United exec called it a marketing ploy, but it’s one that is going to work. The fewer people near me on a plane, the better. If you must fly now, I’d consider other options.
I got an email today from United, stressing their air filtration system, but that won’t help much if the guy in the middle seat sneezes on you. Note that the CEO of United is former AA executive Scott Kirby, who may be the single-best airline mind in the industry. If he’s not blocking seats, it’s because he doesn’t think it will affect his business.
Or maybe he’s in the same situation as American and simply can’t afford to. American has levered itself up to buy back a ton of stock over the past several years. It seemed to make sense. The stock was cheap and the industry had reached a state of competitive detente that would virtually ensure profits for years to come. They were well-prepared for a recession, but not a pandemic. The airline has among the weakest balance sheets in the industry and can’t afford to let any revenue slip away.
The Bottom Line Is The Industry’s Bottom Line
The scariest aspect of COVID-19 may simply be how little we know about it. But we do know that it transmits easily and I’d rather travel with a carrier that does as much as it can to keep its customers separated. If you do have to fly, good luck out there.
