MY FIRST FLIGHT EXPERIENCE DURING COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS).
My alarm went off at 4:30 am but I had already been awake about 30 minutes before. I don’t know if I was anxious about flying or what, but I was ready to just get it over with. I had not boarded a plane in over 3 months so I was dying to get back out there. I used some flight credits I had from previous flights that were cancelled due to Coronavirus for my trip from San Diego to Washington, DC. I had been quarantined for several months, only seeing a select few people who have also self-isolated themselves. I was antsy to just go somewhere…anywhere! Visiting a friend on the East Coast felt like the perfect first trip.
As I called an Uber to the airport, it took much longer than normal. I was worried that I might miss my flight from how many times an Uber driver cancelled on me. As always, I internally freaked out that I will be late and miss my flight but that has only happened to me one time and that was because I waited in line for a flight with the same flight time but different airline (Whoops!). Once I got to the airport, I walked right through airport security with my TSA Precheck. You almost didn’t even need TSA Precheck to skip the lines, the airport was a ghost town.
Excuse my legging with lint on them but on one of my flights to DC, I had the whole row to myself!
I posted a photo of the empty airport and I experienced some travel shame. I received direct messages left and right saying things like a “pandemic can’t stop me” and “I can’t believe you’re traveling right now”. Honestly, if someone wants to travel and does so safely, then I don’t see why someone should be shamed. If someone goes out of their way to get tested right before their flight and brings all the necessary PPE then I say go for it. As long as you know the travel restrictions to wherever you’re flying to. For example, if you travel to Hawaii you must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
Although I had a middle seat, the flight attendants spread all the passengers out so that middle seats were left open. The back two rows were left open to protect the flight attendants. I felt bad for the flight attendants as they had to tell multiple passengers to pull their mask over their nose. (I mean that kind of defeats the whole purpose of wearing the mask). I thought wearing a mask might be uncomfortable on a plane for several hours, but it wasn’t! I was able to fall right asleep.
The beverage cart was not operating on any of my flights. I had a short connecting stop in Chicago before Washington, DC. I flew with American and the longer haul flights had goodie bags filled with hand sanitizer, a bottle water and a snack. The inflight magazines were no longer there as a precautionary measure to not spread germs. I only took my mask off to eat or drink water. I made sure to use hand sanitizer each time I was putting my hands near my mouth. I also made sure to wash my hands each time I landed in a new location.
I was in Washington, DC for two nights then we drove to Jersey Shore. Masks were not required here. We were one of the only people wearing masks along the boardwalk. It felt as if they almost forgot a pandemic was even happening. I flew from Newark, NJ back to San Diego. The intercom kept chiming in that you must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival but it didn’t feel strictly enforced. I have heard of thermometers in other airports but I did not get my temperature checked at any of the airports upon arrival or before boarding, which I think they should have.
TIPS
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Eat before you get to the airport because barely any food spots are open. Only the markets and select fast food chains.
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Place the blowing air vents in front of you so that if anyone happens to cough or sneeze, the air will act as a force shield that blocks particles.
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Do not touch your eyes, mouth or face while traveling. If you must, then wash your hands before.
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Not all airlines are blocking middle seats. Fly with Southwest, American, United, Delta or Jetblue if you want that extra safety measure.
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If possible, try to take a direct flight to minimize your chances of getting sick. However, there were no direct flights on my flight path.
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If you want to be extra protected, you could bring some disinfectant wipes to wipe down your seat, tray table and headrest.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It felt so good to be traveling again. I honestly feel if you travel responsibly and take precautionary methods then it is safe to do so. We’re all trying to figure out how to navigate back to normal. It should be the new normal to have these sanitizing methods in place. Think of all the common colds or other illnesses that could be prevented from having a clean aircraft. These new ways of living are the price we have to pay in order to not only keep ourselves safe but others around us. I hope this post alleviates any travel stress or anxiety you may be feeling. Although we cannot fly international at this time, I look forward to all the passport stamps to come in the future.
I’d love to hear your travel tips on traveling during these unprecedented times. Comment below!
