So you’re ready to start traveling again, and you’ll be flying to your destination. But if this will be your first flight experience since COVID happened, be prepared that things have changed a bit since you last were on an airplane. Knowing what to expect – and how to continue to protect yourself and your family are important, so let’s chat about that today.
To start, it’s important to remember that while vaccinations are increasing in the U.S., medical experts continue to recommend frequent hand washing/sanitizing, distancing and mask-wearing, as the most important things to keep in mind for anyone, especially those traveling. So many of those things we have all been doing for the past year, will continue to be the norm when traveling for the foreseeable future.
Having said that, now let’s talk about some tips to make your flight easy, safe, and stress-free. The first thing you’ll want to do is plan your carry-on carefully. Consider bringing these things with you for your time in the airport and on the plane:
- Face Mask(s) – Of course, masks are currently a requirement in airports and on planes here in the U.S., but think about your masks in terms of air travel, especially if you’ll have connecting flights. Consider bringing several so that you can change to a fresh one for each flight. You might want to consider one of the breathable face mask meant for exercise, especially if you may be in a situation where you could be running quickly through an airport. (Just make sure it provides the recommended protection as advised by the CDC.)
- Headphones – Chances are, even if your airline provides them, you probably don’t want to use them, do you?
- Travel blanket – Again, if your airline provides blankets, you’ll probably prefer your own, right?
- Gloves – These can be helpful to avoid touching all the things you need to touch when traveling, but they only work if you change them often. If you want to be cautious and use gloves, you can consider wearing several pairs, and just peel one pair after security, another after boarding and finally when you arrive at your seat. Be sure to dispose of them properly of course. Or, just frequently hand sanitize.
- Water bottle – Airline cabins are super dry and staying hydrated is important. Pack a water bottle that has its own straw (you can fill it after you get through security and before you board) so you can easily sip along the way while still keeping your mask on.
- Hand sanitizer – By now we are all experts in hand-washing, but sometimes soap and water aren’t readily available, so it’s hand sanitizer to the rescue. Bring plenty. TSA is allowing one liquid hand sanitizer container up to 12 ounces per passenger in carry-on bags until further notice. Since these containers exceed the standard 3.4-ounce allowance typically permitted through a checkpoint, they will need to be screened separately – and this will add some time to the checkpoint screening experience. Please keep in mind that all other liquids, gels and aerosols brought to a checkpoint continue to be limited to 3.4 ounces in a quart bag.
- Snacks and beverages – Many restaurants and stores in airports have shut down, and inflight food and beverage service has been significantly curtailed, too, so be sure to bring your own. (See below for an additional tip on what to do with any food you bring.)
- Cleaning wipes – You can bring cleaning wipes in both your checked bag as well as your carry-on, so make sure you have plenty. Once you get to your seat, wipe down the area around you — armrest, tray table, window shade, even the air nozzle above you — in short, anything that can be touched. And when you’ve finished, sanitize your hands.
Beyond what you need to bring with you, there are a few other tips that you’ll want to keep in mind.
- Remove items from pockets when going through security and put them in your carry-on, rather than into a bin. This reduces touchpoints, an important precaution to take during the pandemic.
- Put any food items in clear plastic bags and place that clear plastic bag into your carry-on bag. When you get to the checkpoint, remove the clear bag containing your food and place that bag into the bin to reduce the opportunity for cross-contamination. Why remove your food at all? Because food items often trigger an alarm, so instead of a TSA officer needing to open a carry-on bag to see what triggered the alarm, removing the food reduces the likelihood of a carry-on bag needing to be searched.
- Scan your boarding pass or get your boarding pass sent to your phone via text. The TSA officer can visually inspect or scan it that way and doing so reduces a touchpoint.
- Use the restroom before you get on the plane. Airport restrooms are likely safer than the very tight space of the one onboard, if you practice social distancing of at least 6 feet, wear a cloth face mask, and wash your hands after touching any surface. But if you must use the airplane toilet, keep your mask on while inside, and bring your disinfectant wipes with you to wipe down any surface you touch. And then follow up by using hand sanitizer.
- Avoid crowding when boarding and deplaning. Many airlines are monitoring boarding for distancing but getting off the plane is a different story. This is not the time to crowd the aisle in the hopes of getting off faster.
- Allow plenty of time. Things are going to take longer, such as security, checking bags, etc. And as already noted, many places in the airports like lounges and restaurants will be closed, so it may take you a bit longer to find a place to grab a bite or get your coffee.
- Practice kindness. Things remain challenging for all of us, but especially so for many of the employees you’ll encounter – especially TSA folks. These people have been working as essential employees, for less-than-optimal wages for over a year now, and they have concerns too. Kindness and patience go a long way.
So there you have it! With some planning, patience, and adherence to good medical recommendations, you’ll be ready to fly to your dream destination!
Happy travels!
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