A woman from Manhattan, NY, says she was surrounded by passengers without masks during an American Airlines flight from Miami to LaGuardia Airport.
Although social distancing rules were strictly enforced at Miami’s airport, her flight was nearly filled with passengers without any protective face masks, making them all vulnerable to contracting the deadly coronavirus.
The passenger, who has been identified as 42-year-old Angie Wong, said this past Wednesday, she boarded flight 2669 around 10:19 a.m. to NYC and wore a surgical mask, face shield, gloves, and a hoodie, according to the New York Post.
“I could tell passengers were very nervous that masks were not mandated,” said Wong, who is a stay-at-home mom from Soho. Wong was returning from a trip with her husband and two young children in Miami since Mayor Bill de Blasio announced city schools would be closed.
She reportedly shared photos of some passengers with masks and gloves while others weren’t practicing any protective measures.
“I asked how this was allowed during distancing requirements, and got ‘nothing we can do about it’ shrugs and offered an 800 number to change my reservation,” she said.
“Even the pilot came on mid-flight to apologize for the cramped conditions. Unlike in Canada, masks were not mandated to fly. No temperature checks,” she added.
“Though I did ask to be sat in an emptier part of the plane — and was told the airline could not accommodate — I did not realize how packed the flight was until I boarded,” she said.
While at the gate, she said, an airline representative said that “if American Airlines sells 150 seats, they will board 150 seats — it’s a business.”
“We are all learning to adapt to the new social norms, but businesses are still operating in the old paradigm and need to pivot for public safety. I feel airlines should consider temporary policies to match the current federal mandates of social distancing and mask-wearing,” Wong stated.
In a statement, American Airlines said that “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.”
The airline also reportedly said it currently blocks “50 percent of standard middle seats” on every flight.
“Our team also monitors flights closely to maintain social distancing,” a representative reportedly told the New York Post in an email, also adding, “We encourage our customers to follow CDC guidelines.”
The CDC currently does not require for passengers to wear a mask.
