What It’s Like Traveling During The Pandemic

Travel is something so many people love to do, and you may be thinking, what about during a Pandemic? In the past week, I took a roundtrip from Chicago to Seattle.

The reason I went was to say farewell to my late grandfather. Any other reason wouldn’t have been valid in my eyes because I want to keep myself and the small group of people I surround myself with safe.

Part of me wants to say that it felt normal, but it didn’t completely. There were a few changes that I want to note in case you haven’t gone to the airport and flown since COVID-19 broke out.

Face Shields and Masks Are Everywhere

Before going to the airport, I knew that I’d be seeing people wearing masks and protecting themselves from the virus. It seems like everyone traveling understands how important it is. I mean, if you’re caught not wearing it or going against the rules, you probably wouldn’t be allowed to fly.

Seeing face shields on about 50% of people was new to me compared to going to stores back home. It’s extra reassuring to see that people are protecting themselves because, in turn, it protects you and the people you’re flying with.

Disposable face shields are less than five dollars and a great way to protect yourself when traveling. Especially during the holidays and a winter surge in cases, quality shields and quality masks are recommended.

It finally feels normal to see people doing everything it takes to be safe, and although we’re traveling for different reasons, it’s good to see more people protecting themselves.

Ticketing, Security, and TSA

Going through ticketing, security, and TSA all feels pretty normal for the most part. You’ll have long lines of people trying to get to their gates and notice that people are anxious to go.

According to the CDC, Air travel requires spending time in security lines and airport terminals, which can bring you in close contact with other people and frequently touched surfaces. Most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on flights because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes.

However, social distancing is difficult on crowded flights, and you may have to sit near others (within 6 feet), sometimes for hours. This may increase your risk for exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.

If you’re expecting anything crazy at the security lines, don’t because it’s not all that crazy. It seems like any other day at the airport, with the same feelings of rushing and everything that comes with it.

There isn’t much to say about the check-in and security process that would be different outside of the Pandemic.

Flying and Riding at Full-Capacity is Common

Both of the flights I took were basically full capacity, and I just had to manage sitting next to two other passengers. The biggest thing that worried me is when I took my mask off to drink or eat a snack.

Other than that, flying with a mask wasn’t too bad. It can be hard to sleep with a mask, let alone breathe, so I recommend turning on the air conditioner above so that you can breathe a little easier and get some quality rest.

Flying during a Pandemic doesn’t mean that airlines will book flights any less than they did before. If the demand for flying is low, you’ll get more space, but besides that, you need to be prepared to have neighbors along for the ride.

You’ll Board and Exit 5–10 Rows at a Time

When waiting to board the plane, I noticed that the agents were only boarding customers five to ten rows at a time. It’s a way for the airport to maximize social distancing and not flood everyone in all at once.

I appreciated walking through the sky-bridge into the plane without dozens of people around me, trying to get comfy and set up in their seats. If you’re someone who has social anxiety, the way airports are managing crowds of people does a bit of a service for you.

One of the nice things about boarding the plane now is that they’ll give you sanitation wipes prior to boarding, and you can use them on your seat, seatbelt, arm-rest, tray-table, everything. It’s reassuring that you don’t need to bring your own cleaning supplies and that they do it for you, at least something.

When waiting to exit the plane, the flight attendants call for five rows at a time, which teaches everyone a thing about patience. Some people will still fire out guns blazing, but the majority of flyers take their time and understand that we need to take our time.

How to Stay Safe After Traveling

Whether you made it to your destination or are back home, it’s important to take a few precautions to keep yourself and those around you safe. Here’s my list of checks that I did upon arrival.

Wiped and clean electronics and any other tangible items you touch during your travels.

Immediately wash the clothes you wore to the airport because they could have contracted anything, and it’s so microscopic you won’t be able to see it. (Imagine sitting in three different seats at the airport, then jumping on the couch and bed and spreading all the unknown everywhere.

You can either self-quarantine for two weeks or take a test before seeing anyone without a mask to ensure the safety of you and them.

Final Thought

The number one thing people want to do is travel the world. Right now is a moderately risky time to do so, but if you have to go somewhere for a funeral, work, or any other emergency, just understand the risks and how to protect yourself.

We can survive this thing and make it through without infecting millions of other people around us by doing the right thing and being smart about how we go about our business.

Take care, stay warm, and do what you can to protect yourself so we can do all the things we love again.