4 ms·

Like everything else, it's outsourced. A bunch of minimum-wage cleaners employed by a contractor at the airport come onto the plane and go through it...but that

Like everything else, it's outsourced. A bunch of minimum-wage cleaners employed by a contractor at the airport come onto the plane and go through it...but that requires the plane have idle time at the gate between flights, and airlines are cutting every corner they possibly can. The Times author, and flight attendants, seem to miss the point. I paid for a seat. I likely paid a fuckton of money for it, and I expect it to be clean such that neither I nor my clothing and belongings get dirty or become contaminated with biohazardous fluids. Not enough turnaround time to clean? The airline didn't schedule enough time for cleaning and inspection and that is not my problem. No equipment or supplies on the plane? The airline didn't equip the plane (or the terminal) with supplies to handle a common event (spilled food, passenger body fluids) and that is not my problem. Flight attendant thinks it's beneath them to keep the plane clean? The airline isn't properly disciplining its employees and that is not my problem. Smells like it's time for an FAA regulations around all this stuff.

Supermancho 4y ago
> Like everything else, it's outsourced. I know a little about SW. "Like everything else, it's outsourced." is an unnecessarily broad statement. That being said, the interior cleaners are outsourced[1]. Contract terms are city-specific and there is a minimum requirement for which planes are cleaned (eg always overnights) and when. > I paid for a seat. Which has fine print, which makes fewer guarantees than you're comfortable with...which isn't really a problem. Don't buy the ticket, don't suffer. > I likely paid a fuckton of money for it Probably not. A round trip from Southern California to Minnesota is usually less than an uber from Los Angeles to San Diego, depending on how far in advance and timing, etc etc. Guess what Ubers don't do either? Southwest planes are often delayed due to cleaning needs, regardless of the binary framing of the policies. I guess the COVID scare has just elevated routine policies to a political level, while we enjoy a previously unimaginable level of freedom, choice, and low-cost travel. [1] My brother is a senior ramp agent about to retire, who happens to be working a shift he couldnt give away tonite.

Supermancho 4y ago

> Like everything else, it's outsourced. I know a little about SW. "Like everything else, it's outsourced." is an unnecessarily broad statement. That being said, the interior cleaners are outsourced[1]. Contract terms are city-specific and there is a minimum requirement for which planes are cleaned (eg always overnights) and when. > I paid for a seat. Which has fine print, which makes fewer guarantees than you're comfortable with...which isn't really a problem. Don't buy the ticket, don't suffer. > I likely paid a fuckton of money for it Probably not. A round trip from Southern California to Minnesota is usually less than an uber from Los Angeles to San Diego, depending on how far in advance and timing, etc etc. Guess what Ubers don't do either? Southwest planes are often delayed due to cleaning needs, regardless of the binary framing of the policies. I guess the COVID scare has just elevated routine policies to a political level, while we enjoy a previously unimaginable level of freedom, choice, and low-cost travel. [1] My brother is a senior ramp agent about to retire, who happens to be working a shift he couldnt give away tonite.