I flew on the 3rd and 4th-largest US airlines to see how they're handling the pandemic and the difference was night and day

Thomas PalliniJun 28, 2020, 19:52 IST

Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

United Airlines and Southwest Airlines make up the lower half of the big four US airlines behind American and Delta.
I flew on both airlines between New York and Orlando to see how the duo was tackling social distancing policies during the pandemic.
The two each approach social distancing differently with Southwest being more aggressive in its policies than United but both lacked consistency.

United Airlines and Southwest Airlines are the third and fourth-largest airlines in the country, respectively, and the final two airlines that make up the big four in the US. Just like the top two airlines in that group, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, their social distancing policies and practices couldn't be any more different.

Both carriers boast over 700 aircraft in their fleets and have sizeable domestic and international networks. The main difference between them being that United is a full-service legacy carrier and Southwest is a no-frills low-cost airline.

United said in May that middle seats and certain aisle seats would be blocked but later amended that policy after passengers reported that flights were still going full. The airline now allows aircraft to fill up but allows free changes if a flight is over 70% full while Southwest, which doesn't assign seats, limits bookings by around one-third of a plane's capacity so middle seats can remain empty.

To get a sense of United's and Southwest's social distancing policies are handling the pandemic and rising passenger numbers, I flew between New York and Orlando with two flights on each airline over the course of one day. My journey started on Southwest via Nashville and ended with United to New York via Washington.

Here's what I found.

My journey to Orlando started on Southwest Airlines from the new LaGuardia Airport Terminal B, from where I'd first fly to Nashville.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Southwest and LaGuardia Airport both require face coverings so I was masked up from the moment I got to the terminal.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Before I even arrived at the airport, I had to acknowledge this health declaration. A longer version on the website tells passengers "do not travel if you have a fever."

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Before I even arrived at the airport, I had to acknowledge this health declaration. A longer version on the website tells passengers "do not travel if you have a fever."

The terminal had just opened less than two weeks prior to this trip and safety features such as plexiglass partitions at check-in and the gates had come standard. Every airline, including United and Southwest, had these partitions.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

The terminal had just opened less than two weeks prior to this trip and safety features such as plexiglass partitions at check-in and the gates had come standard. Every airline, including United and Southwest, had these partitions.

Everything before the gate was up to LaGuardia, not Southwest. So let's go straight to the gate.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

All gates in the terminal also had the standard partitions installed by the airport. Southwest's website says that all of its check-in and gate counters have partitions but I'd have to wait until I landed in Nashville to find out for sure.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

All gates in the terminal also had the standard partitions installed by the airport. Southwest's website says that all of its check-in and gate counters have partitions but I'd have to wait until I landed in Nashville to find out for sure.

Gate agents made an announcement before boarding about Southwest's social distancing policies but there was no reinforcement from any signage, unlike what I've seen from other airlines. Agents also gave face masks to those who needed.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Gate agents made an announcement before boarding about Southwest's social distancing policies but there was no reinforcement from any signage, unlike what I've seen from other airlines. Agents also gave face masks to those who needed.

Southwest boards its aircraft by boarding group - A,B, and C - with each person given a number from 1-59 in that group. This requires people in each boarding group to line up, with 30 on each side.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Southwest boards its aircraft by boarding group - A,B, and C - with each person given a number from 1-59 in that group. This requires people in each boarding group to line up, with 30 on each side.

The procedure, however, was modified to only have groups of 10 line up and board at a time, with the rest remaining seated until their group was called.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Our gate didn't have that set-up and instead, we boarded by groups of 30.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Most gates had these passenger-facing ticket scanners but our flight was boarded with the gate agent manually scanning each ticket with a handheld device.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

There were also no social distancing reminders in the jetway.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Passengers still board with their assigned number and the front half typically fills up first. Those boarding last have to walk past those who boarded and head to the back.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Passengers still board with their assigned number and the front half typically fills up first. Those boarding last have to walk past those who boarded and head to the back.

All passengers and flight attendants are also required to wear masks on Southwest.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

This was the 6:00 a.m. flight so it was understandably empty but less than half the plane's capacity was filled. There were maybe 60 passengers with entire rows left open.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

This was the 6:00 a.m. flight so it was understandably empty but less than half the plane's capacity was filled. There were maybe 60 passengers with entire rows left open.

With so few passengers, we didn't have to worry about social distancing but Southwest is limiting bookings by around a third. Only two people can sit in any row with an exception for families.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

With so few passengers, we didn't have to worry about social distancing but Southwest is limiting bookings by around a third. Only two people can sit in any row with an exception for families.

I headed to the back to get the best seat on Southwest, 16A on the 737-800 series aircraft.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

The "Southwest Promise" boasts at least six hours of overnight cleaning and it showed on this flight.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Even my tray table was spotless.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

All the in-flight literature besides safety cards had been removed as a precaution. Flight attendants also asked passengers not to store sanitary wipes in the seats as they'd come around after boarding with a trash bag.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

All the in-flight literature besides safety cards had been removed as a precaution. Flight attendants also asked passengers not to store sanitary wipes in the seats as they'd come around after boarding with a trash bag.

The one downside was that the air vent, which experts say can provide a cone of fresh air for protection, wasn't too strong and I could barely feel the filtered air.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Southwest is limiting in-flight service on flights over 250 miles, which we were luckily over.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Flight attendants came around with a self-serve bin of Southwest's snack mix — containing pretzels, bread crisps, and Cheez-Itz — and cups of water with ice.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Flight attendants came around with a self-serve bin of Southwest's snack mix — containing pretzels, bread crisps, and Cheez-Itz — and cups of water with ice.

That was the entirety of the service with flight attendants also leaving this tray out in the galley.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

It was smooth sailing down to Nashville but a quiet flight as the crew didn't really interact with passengers after the service.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

The deplaning process was the same, though, as everybody rushed for the exit.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Southwest's cleaning crews had already begun cleaning the aircraft after the flight, wiping down all surfaces including the overhead panel.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

At the gate in Nashville, I saw that Southwest had, in fact, erected partitions at their gates with social distancing reminders.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Southwest had placed floor placards in the boarding area, as well.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

The signage, however, still didn't show any social distancing information, just flight details.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

The boarding procedure is Nashville was adapted to the new policy with groups of only 10 being called to line up and board at the same time.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

It was clear from the gate area that this was going to be a fuller flight. Face coverings aren't required at Nashville Airport but the Southwest gate agent told passengers that they need to be on when they have their tickets scanned.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

It was clear from the gate area that this was going to be a fuller flight. Face coverings aren't required at Nashville Airport but the Southwest gate agent told passengers that they need to be on when they have their tickets scanned.

Passengers followed the rule of 10 and distanced at their leisure. Boarding passes were once again scanned by the gate agent.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Just like in LaGuardia, there were no placards in the jetway and I noticed the same in Orlando.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

This flight was near to capacity but middle seats were not occupied unless a family was traveling together. Flight attendants continuously made announcements saying that a maximum of two people could sit in each row.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

This flight was near to capacity but middle seats were not occupied unless a family was traveling together. Flight attendants continuously made announcements saying that a maximum of two people could sit in each row.

It was smooth sailing down to Orlando with no notable disruptions. Even the seats were as clean as when I got on in New York.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

The service was the same, a package of snack mix and a cup of ice water. This flight was only around an hour and a half.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

The deplaning experience was also the same, with everybody rushing to get up and off as quickly as possible.

Flying on Southwest Airlines from New York to Orlando via Nashville. Thomas Pallini/Business Insider