Most
people miss travel these days, but getting there isn't even HALF the fun if it isn't
safe.
As the
first wave of reopenings is bringing back selective businesses, does this mean
flying is safe? New precautions will be put in place from the moment you step
out of the car and onto the curb of the airport. The New York Times has
provided safety tips to help navigate air travel.
How to
get to the airport:
It is
preferred if someone who you quarantine with brings you to the airport. However,
if you need to order a Lyft or Uber, prices could possibly be higher, and recommendations
include wiping down seats and door handles, wearing a mask, and providing
cleaning supplies to ensure safety.
Airports
are making adjustments to their drop-off, pickup, and parking process to urge
travelers to keep moving. It is recommended for you to know the drop-off and
parking policies of the airport you are visiting.
Preparing
for your flight:
Being
prepared with masks, wipes, and hand sanitizer is important to protect you and
others, since airports are a very high-touch experience. Airlines suggest that travelers
download their app prior to arrival, in order to use touchless boarding and
reduce having to exchange papers. Airlines like United are using touchless
kiosks that allows travelers to print their bag tags from their own devices and
to scan QR codes.
Expectations
within the airport:
Keeping
the environment clean is a top priority; therefore, one can expect to see lots
of cleaning. The New York Times has reported that certain airports are
using Continuous Air and Surface Pathogen Reduction. This system continuously
sanitizes the air and surfaces. Another airport, Pittsburgh International, is
the first American airport to use robots with UV-C rays to disinfect and clean
floors in busy areas.
Many
airport shops will be closed, and food will not be served on your flight.
Airports are deterring the use of cash, and travelers may want to use tap-to-pay
on their phones.
TSA has
tweaked their requirements and still encourages travelers to be socially
distant. Other TSA efforts include reducing how much guests have to touch
security bins, asking travelers to hold up boarding passes for inspection, and
recommending putting food in a clear bag to lessen the chance of a TSA
inspection.
Boarding
has also changed to benefit your safety. Limiting groups to 10 when lining up
to prepare for boarding and boarding by row are a few of the adjustments.
Policies can differ airline to airline, so be sure to check before arrival.
Cleaning
your seat is not a bad idea; however, airlines such as Delta have installed an "electrostatic
sprayer," which releases a mist of disinfectant into the plane. Planes are
cleaned for long periods of time, and airlines have created COVID-19 pages with
information about their safety precautions to ease passengers of worry.
Wearing a
mask within the airport and the plane is a highly recommended suggestion from,
well, everybody.
Yes,
someone might be next to you on your flight. However, flights have also been
boarding less passengers. Depending on the airline, efforts to have less-full
flights is ideal, but not all circumstances allow this to be possible.
The world
is getting back on its feet, and airlines are ready to fly their passengers in
the safest way possible. To ensure your own safety as a traveler, it is ideal
that you check policies for your airport and airline before traveling.
