[N1IslingtonFlyer]

This is interesting. Maybe there is more demand for domestic air travel than we think?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-52539141?at_custom1=link&at_medium=cCC11EA-8C59-23BBC28169F1&at_campaign=64&at_custom3=BBC+News+NI

[canucklad]

An ideal scenario to test trace and isolate.

I doubt that anybody on-board would object, and the citizens of London & Northern Ireland should demand.

Everyone is having a pop at Aer Lingus , why not a pop at the authorities for again demonstrating totally passive behaviour towards this virus ?

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PatJordan

[Gin&Tonic]

Coronavirus: Aer Lingus review after packed flight complaint https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-52539141

What under current Aircraft configurations do passengers seriously expect when travelling by air? Even if an airline were to leave the middle seat free you will never under current configurations be 2m apart from other passengers seated or passing you if in an aisle seat.

As reported by the head of Lhr, terminals do not have the design to support such segregation at boarding gates or gate areas, and aircraft layouts currently cannot support distancing and it’s highly unlikely they will.

I really fail to understand the basis of the report, and what the passenger expected.

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TimFitzgeraldTC, ASK1945, ImissConcorde

[AMcWhirter]

As I noted in another thread the same thing happened with AF on a domestic flight a few weeks ago.

One has to note that capacity between Belfast and London has been severely cut back.

Aer Lingus used to operate multiple daily flights from BHD to LHR. Now there’s just a single flight.

Two other operators have quit the route. Flybe is out of business and EZY has suspended flights.

[AMcWhirter]

Not just with Aer Lingus. Remember there was a similiar scenario with Air France a few weeks ago.

Social distancing blunder at Air France? All seats occupied on a Paris-Marseilles Airbus A318

Aer Lingus operates a single daily flight on the route. And as we reported recently this is one route being safeguarded by the DfT.

Government safeguards lifeline routes to Northern Ireland

[canucklad]

Simple solution, considering the retailers are probably shut at George Best, why not move the flights to Belfast International and use one of the grounded 330’s ?

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biguli76, AMcWhirter

[SGJNI1961]

I seem to remember that EI and BFS fell out quite badly when the flights were moved to BHD. An expensive day out in the High Court followed and if memory serves, BFS lost!
It is the total absence of BA flights that might be more significant if they decide to make that a permanent state of affairs.

[AMcWhirter]

And I would also think that EI must be the only significant airline left at BHD.

Also worth remembering that airport staff, ground handling staff, concessions’ staff are all all affected.

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PatJordan

[nevereconomy]

Perhaps they expected that, like sensible carriers, staff would have masks and gloves, maybe even visors and that passengers would be offered masks and gloves. Of course, this being the UK, that equipment may not be available.

[canucklad]

[quote quote=998200]Perhaps they expected that, like sensible carriers, staff would have masks and gloves, maybe even visors and that passengers would be offered masks and gloves. Of course, this being the UK, that equipment may not be available.[/quote]

The more I think out, and i know that its being discussed elsewhere the more idiotic the wearing of masks actually is …
The continual fidgeting of a garment we in the west are not accustomed to must surely increase the risk of surface cross contamination by fingers drenched in virus infested moisture. So the small minority are more likely to impact many more people than if they didn’t wear the mask in the first place.

Using that Aer Lingus flight as an example….. Someone sitting around the middle of he cabin wearing a mask heads to the loo. Washes their hands, then fidgets with their mask, re-enters the cabin steadying themselves using the aisle seat tops on the way back . How many of those from the back row forward are now more at risk ?

Ill thought out policy, designed to reassure the masses not really mitigate the risk. and surely anybody leaving their masks on board would surely be subject to criminal negligence laws , since none of us have been trained on the correct way to safely dispose of high risk material.

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PhilipHart

[DavidGrodentz]

Canucklad. The logic behind masks is, if the majority wear them, you effectively protect each other and not necessarily protect yourself

Masks are common here in Asia and, after SARs but before Covid 19, they were worn by those who were sick, and less so as a protection against becoming sick

Using them correctly, using the cords to remove them, and maintaining good hand hygiene through hand sanitizers or hand washing (as you are bound to fiddle with them) lessens the risk of self contamination of the masks

It can’t be a coincidence that countries that have adopted them from the start are doing better than countries that often quote the WHO advice

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Montysaurus, Woodpecker

[ASK1945]

DavidGrodentz wrote:

” …………….. Using [masks] correctly, using the cords to remove them, and maintaining good hand hygiene through hand sanitizers or hand washing (as you are bound to fiddle with them) lessens the risk of self contamination of the masks”

Yes, of course if the correct masks are worn, used properly and disposed of properly, then they are of some protective advantage, over short periods. Unfortuantely, the majority of people do not do these things. I have just done my one-hour daily exercise (walk). About half the people I passed were wearing masks. Most were wearing useless masks, or wearing them inappropriately. In fact, outdoors in a park, one wonders why they needed them anyway. It goes beyond reason to expect passengers to wear them for hours without touching them and not then washing their hands or using hand sanitisers.

You also wrote: “It can’t be a coincidence that countries that have adopted them from the start are doing better than countries that often quote the WHO advice”. Well, yes it can. Sorry, but your contention is simplistic and there certainly can be a multitude of reasons for some countries to be “doing better”.

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simeoncox

[cwoodward]

99% of the population in very densely crowded Hong Kong (pop 7.8 million) have worn masks 99% of the time while outdoors.

This has served to protect almost all of the population with the vast majority of the confirmed cases being imported (approx 680) with some 400 of the HK total of 1020 cases being imported from the UK and some 70 from the USA where I am told almost no one wears a mask.
The point I believe rather makes itself and I who was at first a rather reluctant mask donner am totally converted as wearing a mask as very clearly is an effective tool.

The virus has been at this point virtually eradicated here although the borders other than with China have never been totally closed.
The HK government is in the process of issuing FOC a 50 times washable mask to all; which is clearly a very sensible inative that should perhaps be taken up by the UK and others.

It is expected here that the border to China will be partially opened next week and there is a strong rumor in the last few days that Cathay Dragon will announce re-commencement of flights to several more of their mainland destinations in the next few days.

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Montysaurus, GivingupBA, DavidGrodentz

[DavidGrodentz]

ASK1945 – I will give you that, my last comment was too simplistic, a country’s success is down to a number of actions taken, such as closing borders, restrictions on movement (full and partial), testing, contact tracing, quarantines, and others.

But, dismissing masks is too simplistic as well

I continue to wear masks outside (the experience is new to me as well, and not always comfortable in the 30 degree temperatures we have here now), even though community infections here in HK have virtually stopped for two weeks, the only cases in that period (two) are from residents that have returned from countries that have not done as well.

Personally, I love to travel, and do it a lot, even when not doing it for work. I’m itching to get back to it as well, but would I solely rely on masks, the answer has to be NO, despite what some airlines are now saying.

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TupeloKid, Montysaurus, cwoodward

[ASK1945]

[postquote quote=998256][/postquote]

Thank you for conceding that there are a number of factors which have caused many countries to have a better record than the UK.

For the record, I wrote “Yes, of course if the correct masks are worn, used properly and disposed of properly, then they are of some protective advantage, over short periods.“. I then explained why the advanatge is limited. The WHO and the UK’s Chief Scientific Officer have also said the same.

[Author]

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