The promised rant about SeaTac. Long post warning.

Yes, I’m still pissed about not being able to get a beer during my 2-1/2 hour layover in SeaTac yesterday. But really, it was the shear ridiculousness of the Covid restrictions at the airport and the inconsistencies that they have created which just infuriated me.

Normally I’d just label what I observed in SeaTac yesterday as unintended consequences. But that would imply that thought and effort went into a deliberate act with good intentions which had unforeseen consequences. It would also imply that those consequences would be identified and efforts would be made to mitigate them. None of this has happened, I can only assume what I witnessed in SeaTac yesterday is just plain stupidity.

I am an ER nurse and I’ve seen the effects of Covid and know that some measures have to be taken to minimize its spread. I also spent my first career in design and construction with a lot of that time being spent in airport design. Maybe it’s my background and experience, or maybe it’s just common sense to see that the restrictions in effect at SeaTac are actually creating more issues that they’re solving.

SeaTac not only is a regional hub for the pacific northwest, they are also a major international airport as well as trans-continental hub. With passengers spending many hours on an arriving flight, time in the airport between flights and leaving again on what may possibly be another long flight, some sort of food and beverage service is not just a convenience issue, it is a requirement. From my observations approximately 50% of the food and beverage concessions at SeaTac are closed. The remaining concessionaires have closed their seating areas under orders from the governor and operate as walkup counter service only.

What this has done is force passengers to congregate and eat at the few tables that are in the common areas of the terminal and concourses. Wasn’t the goal of closing down the seating areas to promote social distancing and mitigate the spread of Covid? So how is forcing people together in the common areas any better than allowing for limited seating in the concessions?

Even worse, those that aren’t fortunate enough to find a table in the common areas congregate in the departure lounges to eat. Yep, sitting in the lounge seating trying to balance their food and drinks in the laps while they eat. Or worse yet sitting on the floor while they eat. So now we have a numerous instances of food being dropped and drinks being spilled on the floor. Yes in SeaTac, an airport with a history of rat infestations in the concourse. Lindsey Lohan’s sheets are the only surface that I can imagine being dirtier than the floor in an airport. So how is this promoting a clean and sanitary environment to limit the spread of Covid?

Then there’s the whole prohibition on sales of alcohol in the airport. What the hell? Didn’t we try prohibition once in this country and found the unintended consequences were worse than the benefits? Does the 21st Amendment to the Constitution not apply in Seattle? What does prohibition of alcohol have to do with mitigating the spread of Covid anyway? Can someone explain to me how prohibiting the sale of alcohol in the airport a public health issue and not just an exercise of power by the state government.

How is it that I could sit down in the morning at well spaced seating in the airport bar at Sky Harbor in Phoenix have a breakfast burrito along with a beer, margarita and bloody Mary if I so chose and not be able to sit and eat in SeaTac or worse yet not be allowed to have a beer with my burger? How is it perfectly allowable to sip on a Coke, slurp coffee, suck ice tea though a straw or chug a bottle water but drinking a beer will somehow unleash the 11th Biblical plague of Covid?

Sorry, but if I have to put up with a 3-1/2 hour flight in from Phoenix with a little crotch goblin kicking the back of my seat, deal with the inconveniences of construction at SeaTac, endure riding in their train system with the unwashed mashes of the Seattle grunge scene between terminals; denying me a beer is a clear violation of my 8th Amendment right of protection from cruel and unusual punishment.

Wonder why people are so upset and divided on the issue of Covid mandates? Look no further than SeaTac. It’s the act of government putting on the appearance of solving a problem while their actions actually result in worsening the situation. Yes, we do need to take action to promote public health and slow the spread of Covid. Closing everything down is not the answer. A measured response based on the facts; science, human behavior and economics is what is needed. Sadly I don’t think this is possible. We’ve become too divided as a society in which shouting each other down in the name of righteousness has become more important than having a debate while coming to an understanding and a compromise. We have elected officials who govern by soundbites rather than a reasoned approach.

Yes, I’m tired of Covid. I’m tired of watching my patients suffer with it. I’m tired of wearing an N-95 mask for the duration of a 12 hour shift at work. I’m tired of hearing both side of the debate yell back and forth at one another. Most of all, I’m just tired at the ridiculousness and inconsistencies of it all.

Nicely done, sir!

A fine rant! COVID is contagious and even more contagious is the stupidity associated with it.

I’ll say it again: because of the rampant irrationality of government and the apparent lack of both education and logic/common sense, we need metrics for each law and edict to measure the efficacy of the objective. Laws and edicts that don’t meet success criteria are automatically eliminated. Reasonable person and benefits must clearly outweigh any burden on society.

Governor Douche Sock is just trying to keep us safe! Why do you both hate science, and want my meemaw to die?

In MN the ONLY place you can get a beer inside is the MSP airport (or casinos on tribal land). The governor so graciously is letting bars/restaurants seat outside at 25% capacity - outside (absolutely no shelter) - in MN - in Dec.

quote:

Originally posted by sreding:
In MN the ONLY place you can get a beer inside is the MSP airport (or casinos on tribal land). The governor so graciously is letting bars/restaurants seat outside at 25% capacity - outside (absolutely no shelter) - in MN - in Dec.

Anchorage city council took similar action. No indoor dining, but outside is permitted; in Alaska in December. Some restaurants have set up outside tents and even inflatable igloos with gas fired patio heaters at great expense to try and remain open. It's ridiculous; too dangerous to eat inside with air filtration, but hey you can sit outside inside of a tent!

Saw that in MI too, can’t sit inside, but outside in a cold, ENCLOSED tent or igloo is O.K..

Covid stupidity is rampant.

We just came back from a visit to Vegas, the best part of that trip was being able to sit in restaurants to eat. Something we haven’t been able to do for 9 months in western WA.

It is all about power and control.

quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
Lindsey Lohan’s sheets are the only surface that I can imagine being dirtier than the floor in an airport.

This is the best thing I have read all day. I was actually laughing hard enough that my wife was staring at me for a moment.

I was going to bitch about my Southwest flights this week (I end up flying Southwest about once every five years - this time due to flight schedule/availability - and remind myself why I never fly Southwest, but that’s general stuff...), but my Covid-related flying rant will fit nicely here.

So Southwest, already a fairly shitty airline, barely a notch above Spirit from what I can tell, has suspended normal beverage/food service due to Covid paranoia. They’ve been advised to do so by some anomalous body of top men (Top. Men.) What they’re doing instead is offering water and a small bag of snack mix only. Because that somehow reduces contact whereas offering me a mini-can of Coke or a bag of peanuts instead of the water and snack mix would immediately draw the attention of the Covidz and I would die, along with the passengers to my right and left.

What really makes me laugh and shake my head is that the water is served not in sealed bottles, but in those little airline cups, on a tray of a dozen or more at a time, where everyone being offered said water in front of you gets to breathe on, sneeze at, and otherwise expose said Covid-proof water to their covidness and other germy bits.

What sense does any of that make?

-Rob

Well written rant. Did you take the time to look up a few email addresses and forward this to some of the gov officials who manage this airport? Those dumb asses need to hear it.

quote:

Originally posted by coloradohunter44:
Well written rant. Did you take the time to look up a few email addresses and forward this to some of the gov officials who manage this airport? Those dumb asses need to hear it.

Not yet, but I did write to Alaska Airlines. I let them know how bad conditions have deteriorated at SeaTac just in the last 2-1/2 years since I have moved to Alaska. I also let them know that I will make every effort in my travel planning to avoid transferring in SeaTac even if that means booking on Delta through Salt Lake or on United through Denver.

I spoke with my state rep this week (he lives on the next block.) He believes common sense will prevail next session in our statehouse; he has introduced a bill limit the "emergency powers" of the governor to 28 days, after that they must clear the statehouse every 28 days.

Pretty much the same as every other airport in the country.

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
Pretty much the same as every other airport in the country.

Plenty of food and alcohol at FLL this week.

-Rob

There are a few places that have something open, but not many. Domestically, or abroad. It's the same everywhere.

^^^ Not everywhere.

Food and beverage concessions were open at Sky Harbor in Phoenix with spaced out seating. Alcohol was also available.

It wasn't so much the lack of a beer that infuriated me. It was just the idiocy of the restrictions put in place at SeaTac that actually caused worse conditions than what they were trying to prevent.

I was just at Skyharbor. Numerous facilities closed in each of the terminals. It's been that way most of the year. Seattle has been that way all year, too.

Bottom line right now, if you're traveling, bring your own snacks and plan ahead.

Southwest is no different than other carriers in that services for now are spartan.

Excellent bitch.

Seattle (and Washington in general) has quickly become one of the laughing stocks in America (more so than its ever been) ... Jay Inslee is a fucking clueless joke of a governor. It’s embarrassing.

I moved my family six hours away over the Summer to escape the Seattle bullshit. We’re still under Chairman Inslee’s rule here, at the state level, but at least all of the localized politics bleed red.

Fuck Seattle!