The travel and tourism industry has plummeted during the global pandemic. According to the Washington Post, air travel is down 95% from a year ago, and the average U.S. domestic flight has 17 travelers on board. As COIVD-19 restrictions begin to ease across Europe and the U.S., some of us are beginning to wonder, can summer travel can be saved? Or, when will we be able to travel again? It is a tricky question because many of us are scared while others are ready to jump on a plane tomorrow and try to resume normal life.

Many of us have been cooped up for months and have already cancelled scheduled travel plans from March – June. The easing of restrictions has jetsetters like me chomping at the bit to resume travel. But is it safe to travel? Technically until there is a vaccine, no.

JetBlue CEO, Robin Hayes, spoke on a Washington Post live stream event yesterday and said, “everyone will have to make their own decision on when it’s safe to fly again.” JetBlue was one of the first airlines to introduce the requirement of wearing a face mask during boarding and in-flight, a measure we have seen replicated by many other airlines. But will that be enough?

Let’s dive into what may become the new normal of air travel.

Booking your flight:
One of the positive aspects from the industry is many carriers have offered options to change flights without fees or provided vouchers or refunds. If you are planning to book a trip, be sure to read the specific rules and restrictions. You know, the long page of text about cancellations that we tend to skip and get to the final payment page. I would also steer clear of third-party booking sites and go directly through the respective airline to cut out the middleman should any issue arise.

Keep restrictions on where you are traveling in mind and the procedures upon return. This is mainly aimed at my European travelers as there are currently strict measures in place for entering certain countries. For example, Ireland has a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival.
Airports:
Experts agree that travel will be stymied for the immediate future which will leave many of the world’s airports less crowded than we have seen them before. If you are deciding to return to the skies this summer, the decrease in foot traffic will work out in your favor and limit exposure. Airports have also installed social distancing queues, protective glass, and other precautionary measures to minimize contact.

For those of you who wait until you arrive at the airport to print your boarding pass, you may want to begin downloading the apps for your preferred airline carriers now. Mobile boarding passes will be a way to bypass touching the check-in screens that see millions of finger taps per day. If you do need to use one of the screens, grab a glove or a sanitizer wipe before proceeding with check-in.
Airplanes:
As referenced above, face masks for the immediate future will be the new travel accessory including in the air. If you believe wearing a face mask during flight is a problem, please, do not travel. Airlines have introduced these new safety measures to protect their employees and YOU. We are all living in a brave new world, and if the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that these new protocols are for the collective good.

Do your research about the carrier you intend to travel on to make an informed choice on your level of comfort. Each airline is responding differently, and while you may think the middle-seat will be free, that is not standard across the industry or required for that matter. Also, pack snacks, some carriers are deciding to forego food and beverage service for the immediate future.

If you’re concerned about breathing in the ‘stale air’ circulating the cabin, you should know that airplanes are equipped with a ‘HEPA Filter’, by now you should be familiar with the phrase as the airline industry’s leading buzzword to emerge out of the pandemic. HEPA Filters, an air filtration system, essentially recycle the air during flight. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “HEPA filters capture 99.9% of particles (bacteria, fungi, and larger viruses or virus clumps) 0.1-0.3 micrometers in diameter. “The air inside an airplane is recycled every 3-5 minutes,” Mr. Hayes said when speaking about JetBlue’s safety measures. Mr. Hayes also mentioned cleaning and disinfecting the interior of planes using electrostatic fogging, which he described as a type of aerosol mist to get into the plane’s various nooks and crannies.

The more we learn about COVID and how the disease spreads, air circulation is not your main enemy. According to a recent CNN article, Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease professor at Vanderbilt University, provided insight on how the virus spreads during travel. "Even if there is virus in the inanimate environment, it's not going to jump off the seat and bite you in the ankle." he said. "You've got to touch it, and then touch your nose or your mouth. So it's those hands we have that are the important intermediary. And that's where I would put the emphasis."

Safe travels:
Travel in 2020 and beyond will be a calculated risk, and only you can decide how to proceed. My new carry-on will include a mask, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, snacks, and a travel friendly water bottle.

Are you planning on travelling this summer? I would love to hear your thoughts.
xo

SnS