Feeling nervous and uncertain about flying during a global pandemic? How could you not! I recently took my first flight during the coronavirus pandemic and my emotions were a rollercoaster leading up to departure. I went from excited for scoring such a great flight price, to obsessively checking the seating chart to ensure I had an empty seat in my row, and finally cramming as many mini hand sanitizers as possible into my carry on bag. Flash forward two weeks and I can now officially say I made it through my flight safely. I am sharing my observations to help you understand what to expect flying during a pandemic. I may not be able to put your emotions fully at ease, but continue reading for the positives, negatives and my advice for booking airline travel during a pandemic:
The Positives
Yes, there are positives to flying even during a pandemic!
Less Crowds
Battling airport crowds was always something I dreaded during travel. Simply stated there are less people traveling now which leads to an eerily calm experience at the airport. Going through security was a breeze, there were plenty of seats near outlets available, no line in the ladies restroom, no stress of running out of overhead bin space for your carry on, and an entire row to yourself or no one in the middle seat. I understand this will likely change as more people start to feel comfortable flying, but I really hope this relaxed, more space, and less stressful airport atmosphere stays.
Airline Status Doesn’t Matter
Yes that’s right, COVID-19 has turned airline boarding into a pleasant and logical experience. I understand having airline status makes you special, but it also caused a lot of unnecessary time waiting in line to board. Airlines are now boarding from the back of the plane to the front resulting in a smoother and organized boarding process. I hope this common sense boarding style remains as a new normal and we don’t go back to the rat race of plane boarding from pre-pandemic days.
Deplaning has also become a lot less stressful. Flight attendants call out rows to have the exit process run smoother, unfortunately many people are still programmed to jump out of their seat and run down the aisle immediately after the fasten seatbelt indicator turns off.
The Negatives
It’s time to share the downside of airline travel during a global pandemic.
Lack of Hydration
Pre-pandemic as an airline traveler, I usually consumed a lot of extra water on travel days to stay hydrated. My new goal is to limit my exposure to as many people as possible which includes avoiding the airplane restroom. It wasn’t hard to accomplish this goal, as I was wearing two face masks and a face shield during the entire flight limiting the ability to drink water. The pressure from the face shield coupled with the lack of water resulted in a major headache, but I would say one day of dehydration was worth it to feel safe while flying.
As you can see flying during a global pandemic has transformed air travel. If you need to book a flight during COVID-19 follow these helpful tips:
- Select flights during off-peak travel hours. This means flying late at night or early in the morning, but it’s worth it to travel with less passengers.
- If you are flying with someone else, reserve an aisle and window seat for better odds of the middle seat remaining empty. If you are flying alone I recommend booking the window seat as it has the least amount of exposure to other people.
- Choose to sit near the middle of the plane for the chance of less people walking by you during the flight. People sitting in front of you will use restrooms at the front of the plane and people sitting behind you will use the restroom in the back.
Airline travel has gone from a welcome with a warm towel to antibacterial wipes. While some of these changes are temporary, the pandemic may have resulted in a few positive changes for the future of airplane travel. I hope these tips help you feel even a tiny bit more prepared to safely fly during a pandemic.
If you are looking for socially distanced destinations, check out Two Days at Arches National Park and Visiting Mt. Rushmore During COVID-19.
