United Airlines to introduce new disembarking measures to maintain social distancing on planes

‘We are now boarding fewer customers at a time in a back to front process’

United Airlines is planning to change the way passengers depart from its planes in the future as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a document reviewed by the Idaho Reporter, customers will be asked to remain seated “until their row has been called to exit the aircraft”.

Flight attendants will allow approximately five rows at a time to leave the plane and customers will also be advised to “maintain a safe distance” while leaving the plane.

A spokesperson for United Airlines confirmed to The Independent that new deplaning measures are being put in place to ensure social distancing on their planes.

“We have begun a new deplaning procedure to help further ensure social distancing. Additionally, we are now boarding fewer customers at a time in a back to front process,” Charles Hobart, a company spokesperson said.

Shares of the company have plummeted over the weekend as billionaire investor Warren Buffett announced that he had sold all his shares in the four largest US airlines.

The billionaire cited that “the world has changed” because of the coronavirus.

“It is a blow to have, essentially, your demand dry up,” he said. “It is basically that we shut off air travel in this country.”

“We will not fund a company that... where we think that it is going to chew up money in the future.”

The airline’s modifications to disembarking procedure come as United Airlines and a number of other major companies announced that passengers would now be required to wear a mask when boarding their flights.

All United Airlines passengers will be required to wear a face-covering or mask while onboard the aircraft.

Maddie King, a spokesperson for United Airlines told the BBC: “Face coverings will be mandatory for all passengers, and (we) will provide masks to passengers for free.”

Additional reporting by Reuters