Should we be social distancing?

[Disneylover7593]

As a flight attendant I work with lots of other crew, often different crew during each layover.

Once we get to the destination we usually have a 1-3 night layover. During this layover we (the team of crew that are working together on the flight after the layover) usually go out for breakfast and dinner together and often sit around the same table closer than 2 meters like we would in normal times. A few staff in restaurants have commented saying we shouldn't all be around the table and then when we tell them we work together and can't social distance in work then they still say that we are behaving inappropriately and should social distance and we have had a few other quite rude comments.

Do you think we should be social distancing during the layover's?

 

[mom2rtk]

As a flight attendant I work with lots of other crew, often different crew during each layover.

Once we get to the destination we usually have a 1-3 night layover. During this layover we (the team of crew that are working together on the flight after the layover) usually go out for breakfast and dinner together and often sit around the same table closer than 2 meters like we would in normal times. A few staff in restaurants have commented saying we shouldn't all be around the table and then when we tell them we work together and can't social distance in work then they still say that we are behaving inappropriately and should social distance and we have had a few other quite rude comments.

Do you think we should be social distancing during the layover's?

When you're working you're wearing masks the entire time right? If you're meeting to eat, then you're introducing unmasked time to the situation. So I'd say probably not.

That said, I wouldn't make comments to you if I saw you in the restaurant.

 

[Disneylover7593]

When you're working you're wearing masks the entire time right? If you're meeting to eat, then you're introducing unmasked time to the situation. So I'd say probably not.

That said, I wouldn't make comments to you if I saw you in the restaurant.

Wearing masks while working yes except when drinking, because you can't drink a bottle of water while wearing a mask.

 

[disneychrista]

Even working together you should be distancing as much as possible both while you're working and while you are on layover.

Even with my daughters, who were living in the home, we distanced as much as possible.

 

[mom2rtk]

Wearing masks while working yes except when drinking, because you can't drink a bottle of water while wearing a mask.

I get it. It seems unfair since these people are your family when you travel. But the more unmasked time the higher the risk.

 

[spiders]

I would put a lot money on that 90% of pilots aren’t wearing masks once the door is closed.

FA’s on the other hand, you probably are introducing additional risk by sitting closer together at meals.

 

[Disneylover7593]

Okay, thanks for the replies. I might speak with some of the other crew I work with and see if they know if our employer has any official policy on this.

 

[NFLDERS]

As a flight attendant I work with lots of other crew, often different crew during each layover.

Once we get to the destination we usually have a 1-3 night layover. During this layover we (the team of crew that are working together on the flight after the layover) usually go out for breakfast and dinner together and often sit around the same table closer than 2 meters like we would in normal times. A few staff in restaurants have commented saying we shouldn't all be around the table and then when we tell them we work together and can't social distance in work then they still say that we are behaving inappropriately and should social distance and we have had a few other quite rude comments.

Do you think we should be social distancing during the layover's?

Social Distance because if everyone were to give their 'special considerations' the staff would have to make special considerations.

 

[disykat]

This is why the virus is still circulating so fast. We all (and I say "we" because, despite some of us being more careful, we pretty much all end up making some exceptions because it's pretty impossible to be TOTALLY isolated) decide to expand our bubble to someone (or multiple people) who have also expanded their bubbles.

IF I'm going to break my bubble, coworkers would be (currently unemployed due to COVID) very far down the list of who I might break it for.

I certainly sympathize with OP's predicament though. It would be hard to be away from your own "bubble" and be with other people for days on end without changing their bubble status. And if OP decides that they want to keep distanced from coworkers, the likelihood that others will do the same is small.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

Even with my coworkers I stay masked around them, and when we break for lunch we all sit at least 6 feet apart, if not more/alone.

 

[cobright]

Do you think we should be social distancing during the layover's?

If your co-workers and you have formed a proper bubble, it wouldn't make much difference. Meaning that except for the customers you meet on the job and each other your coworkers and you isolate completely from close contact with others. Your group of friends would present as a single vector for catching, spreading, and isolating the virus. A larger vector but assuming mask use, social distancing, and hygiene, smaller than the sum of its parts. But if you have a group who's makeup is shifting from day to day, and maybe some of whom may not isolate from friends and family when outside of the group, you end up with transmission potential greater than the sum of its parts.

Now... if you have regular PCR testing I would be less concerned.

 

[lanejudy]

Okay, thanks for the replies. I might speak with some of the other crew I work with and see if they know if our employer has any official policy on this.

You may also need to look at rules where you have a layover -- in my state there is a mandate against gathering with others with whom you don't live. That includes co-workers outside of work regardless of how closely you are while performing work duties. Restaurants are not supposed to seat people at the same table if they aren't a "household unit" - so while I personally would not say anything, others might call you out as inappropriate.

 

[VandVsmama]

Probably yes.

 

[tvguy]

I'd distance. Depending on where your layover is, like say most parts of California. all restaurants are to go only here. So you wouldn't even have that as an issue unless you are all eating your takeout in the same hotel room.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

This is part of the reason we won’t be flying until at least 2022. Too many people taking risks.

 

[TLSnell1981]

As a flight attendant I work with lots of other crew, often different crew during each layover.

Once we get to the destination we usually have a 1-3 night layover. During this layover we (the team of crew that are working together on the flight after the layover) usually go out for breakfast and dinner together and often sit around the same table closer than 2 meters like we would in normal times. A few staff in restaurants have commented saying we shouldn't all be around the table and then when we tell them we work together and can't social distance in work then they still say that we are behaving inappropriately and should social distance and we have had a few other quite rude comments.

Do you think we should be social distancing during the layover's?

Are you violating the restaurants rules? If not no one should be harassing you.

 

[kymom99]

I’ll just point this out to you since I just tested positive for covid. Decisions people make with this affect so many people. My family is now in quarantine which means my husband can’t work. That’s ok because he has days and will be paid. However, after my 10 days, he and my son are supposed to quarantine another 14 days. So it’s not just me getting it and feel sick but my family having to adjust their lives for nearly a month.

 

[bcla]

I think they're probably right. Unless it's specifically a family/cohabitation group then it's increasing the chances of spread if one person somehow gets infected.

If anyone has heard of the Southern California restaurant owner who complained about the film crew outdoor eating area, they did it a different way. The restaurant owner had to close down even outdoor seating, but that was well spaced seating areas where groups sat together spaced apart from other groups. The film crew's eating area was allowed to operate under county rules for catering for film crews. They were set up as a single chair at each well spaced table where nobody gets to sit together. I believe there's no servers per se, where everyone picks up a single boxed lunch and a beverage.

However, a lot of people don't seem to want to cooperate. I'm having a hard time with my parents. They're offering stuff for us like prepared meals and other stuff. However, I tell them I'm most comfortable if they might just leave it at the door where we can pick it up, but they still insist on coming up to us. We're masked, but they're not. They're certainly in the elderly risk group. We do limit our contact and are always masked outside (save cases where we can legally eat outside). They're just kind of stubborn about it. We're not there for very long, but it just doesn't feel right to me.

 

[Disneylover7593]

Are you violating the restaurants rules? If not no one should be harassing you.

Not in the particular restaurant's where it occurred.

 

[Disneylover7593]

If your co-workers and you have formed a proper bubble, it wouldn't make much difference. Meaning that except for the customers you meet on the job and each other your coworkers and you isolate completely from close contact with others. Your group of friends would present as a single vector for catching, spreading, and isolating the virus. A larger vector but assuming mask use, social distancing, and hygiene, smaller than the sum of its parts. But if you have a group who's makeup is shifting from day to day, and maybe some of whom may not isolate from friends and family when outside of the group, you end up with transmission potential greater than the sum of its parts.

Now... if you have regular PCR testing I would be less concerned.

We are with different crew on most layovers. For example I could go to New York tomorrow with one set of crew and spend the layover with that same crew and fly back with the same crew. And then 2 days later I could go to Los Angeles with all different crew expect one or 2 people who I might have been working with on the last layover.

Our airline is only testing crew when they fly certain routes, so on some flights we may be tested before departure and on others we might not be.