Air travel has changed a little in these COVID times, but not much

The airline industry took a major hit after COVID reached its arms around the entire globe but what it is air travel really like these days?

I don’t fly much. In fact, my last flight was about four years ago so when I had to fly to Cleveland on Wednesday night to pick up a car and drive it home, I was a little more than curious to know what the current state of traveling by air is like.

As I indicated, i don’t travel by air often and one of those reasons is that I frankly don’t like to be in the air. Say what you will about it being a safe mode of travel, it’s unnatural to me. I mean there is only one way you can go in an emergency and it is down. Fast.

Enough of my own insecurities. I took a flight from Fayetteville, North Carolina to Charlotte and then connected to a flight to Cleveland. I took American Airlines because it was the only realistic option from the small Fayetteville airport.

I was greeted by a wonderful desk agent who promptly checked me in and told me that the gator I was wearing was not allowed on the flight. I had to have an actual mask. She offered to provide one for me but I had one handy.

Once entering the aircraft I was handed a small pack with an antibacterial wipe. That was new for me. I kind of laughed and put it in my pocket. So far I hadn’t touched anything that didn’t belong to me. I was told that the delay in bordering was because the aircraft was being cleaned after the previous flight.

Once on board, it was like any other flight I have ever taken in my life with the exception of the mask mandate and everyone was required to wear it. An overhead announcement was made that masks should be worn at all times and that even if you fell asleep you would be woke up if your mask slipped off your face. I was surprised that the airline was seating people next to each other randomly even with open seats around the plane.

I was also very surprised that when I asked if I could move one row up where four seats were left vacant, I was directed to read a small sticker that said those seats were reserved for an extra upcharge. The stewardess, is that still what we call them, informed in not so many words, that I didn’t pay for that upgrade. I had to sit next to a woman I didn’t know who took my window seat.

Ironically, a minute later an overhead announcement was made that you could request a seat change with the stewardess. I guess I picked the wrong one to ask.

In Charlotte, my connection was quick and I had 30 minutes to run from concourse E to concourse B. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that far but I did notice that every person was wearing a mask and seating was spread out at various dining places. I also noticed that despite all of the mask wearing, there was zero concern over spacial distancing. In fact, the six foot social distancing wall was not being enforced.

I was told in Fayetteville that I could ask for a better seat on my plane from Charlotte to Cleveland and that she could only charge me for the upgrade. She said my seat on the second flight was a middle seat and that the row was full. She also told me that there was plenty of seating on the plane.

Once I arrived at the gate I was told that there was plenty of room on the plane and that moving would not be a problem. Providing, of course, that I paid American Airlines $20.00 to upgrade my seat. I nicely pointed out that AA was asking for social distancing and that seats were available and that I was placed between two strangers. He looked at me very straight faced and said, “you can move for $20.00”.

I paid the money and enjoyed a much better seat near a window with an empty seat between myself and the guy on the aisle. For whatever it is worth, I was amazed at how many vacant seats were on the plane and the row I was originally supposed to be in, was one of only a couple that had full rows filled.

To me, it came across as a money grab by AA. Likely hoping that others would pay the upgrade. Who knows, maybe more people did. I know the guy that was in front of me requested a new seat as well.

Overall, travel is pretty straight forward and while masks make up the majority of the big change, I was surprised at the push to put luggage under the plane and attempts to charge a couple of people for their bags that normally wouldn’t have been a problem. I was also surprised by the charge to switch to an unoccupied seat while being put in a row with three people.