What To Expect: Travel and the Pandemic
I hadn’t flown since January. Like most travelers, I’d been grounded by Covid-19. To say I was nervous for my first flight in nine months was an understatement. The number of questions swirling around in my head was enough to make me sit this one out. Except, I was burned out. So, off to the airport I headed with a 7-day supply of masks, hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes for my four day getaway.
The destination of choice: Fort Lauderdale, Florida. My decision was both beach chic and strategic. First and foremost, it’s my favorite beach town in America. Second, it was a quick 1.5 hour flight. I was testing the travel waters and had zero intentions of being on a long haul. Thirdly and probably most importantly, I knew that it would be fairly easy to spend most of my time outdoors. Think aimless walks on the beach and unlimited patio dining. And while I was able to achieve all of those things, I still felt it necessary to help you truly understand what to expect should you decide to travel during the pandemic:
Under-the-nose Maskers
Airports are like supermarkets. Crawling with under-the-nose maskers. Which is the same as wearing no mask at all. Mask removal is permitted while eating and drinking. So quite naturally, everyone is leisurely sipping and savoring. We can’t expect every airport employee, gate agent and flight attendant to monitor masks. And since so many passengers refused to wear masks properly, I wore two masks the entire trip.
Pack Your Patience
Much like your favorite restaurant is still understaffed, the same applies to airports and airlines. When I arrived at 6:00am for my 8:00am weekday flight, the world’s busiest airport looked like her old self…busy. I stood in line for 20 minutes to check my bag. The PreCheck line was so slow moving that I was eventually ushered through a security checkpoint for pilots and flight attendants.
Contactless + Cleanliness
I had the great fortune of staying at a wonderfully sanitized resort on the beach. There is no more beautiful a sight than that of a hotel employee steaming the common areas daily. Masks were required at all times. Social distancing was commonplace. Everything you could possibly need was available, but by request. Rooms were serviced by request only. I elected to not have my room serviced for the duration of my stay.
In spite of all my preparations and precautions, at times it was still difficult to fully relax throughout the travel experience. Which is why for the remainder of the year, I’ll be sticking closer to home. My advice whether you’re on the ground or in the air: wear a mask, wash your hands and say your prayers.