New Normal- airports
Travel

My new normal, how I’ll be traveling post COVID

We are certainly living in different times; my new normal is not what I had envisioned a while ago… I had to think about things differently once plans involved a fair bit of travel this fall.

New Normal - travel
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Pre Pandemic Travel

The last time I traveled was February of last year, just before all of our lives were turned upside down because of the coronavirus. It now seems like a lifetime ago. Airlines shut down, countries closed off their borders, some people hoarded toilet paper, and most of us hunkered down and took the necessary precautions to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.

New Routines

As we get used to this new normal, more people may transition to working from home permanently or making other changes. This new normal has also brought about newfound hobbies for some, a new found love of baking for others. This “quarantine” has given us time to slow down and reflect or regroup. Maybe even finally allowing us to get to those things we have been putting off for a bit.

Some of us have been lucky enough to have others to quarantine with. This new normal has also made us more grateful for some of the things we have, and things that we took for granted. Some of us have grown closer, while others have grown distant. This time has brought about some changes in some form or another for all of us. Some good and some bad…

Travel will not be the same

I have been very fortunate for all the opportunities to travel in my past. When it comes to travel in the future, there will also be another new normal. We will get to travel again, albeit in a different way.

Gone will be the days where you can travel pretty much anywhere you desire. While many countries are opening up some borders, they still remain closed off to some. Along with checking travel advisories, now you will have to check to see if they are open to your country, at least for the time being.

Some surveys have said that airline travel will not get back to normal ( pre-pandemic) until at least 2023. Airlines are trying to accommodate passengers during this time by putting certain protocols in place until at least the end of Sept. But, what happens after that? Keeping middles seats open has already gone by the wayside on many airlines ( SouthWest and Alaska have said they will continue until November) but photos circulating show crowded planes with middle seats filled. Loading back to front ( really good idea by the way… I have always been a fan of boarding that way via row) will also end in September, so the boarding chaos will start all over. Will they continue to clean between flights as they are doing right this moment? Sadly, I don’t believe that will be sustainable ( too expensive) for them.

New Normal- airports
Image by Hands off my tags! Michael Gaida from Pixabay

Changes

Some of the changes I will be making going forward:

  • Carrying vaccination receipts/cards
  • Masks ( N95) – I usually am double masked, but if not, then will make sure that I have a filter that I can change to help keep mask fresher. This is especially important for a longer flight.
  • Spare masks ( I will try to have a mix of N95, and cloth masks, as well as filters depending on the number of days I will be away.
  • Carry disinfectant wipes and alcohol spray ( I admit, I did this before anyway).
  • Make sure that luggage I use has wipeable surface.
  • Pay for extras, such as pre boarding/ advance boarding so I can take some time to wipe down my seat and area beforehand.
  • Pay for seating at front of plane if possible to avoid having to be on airplane longer than necessary once we land.
  • Research what protocols etc. are in place at the destination I am visiting, as well as making sure I have all proper documentation/ tests they need prior to arrival.
  • Leave extra time to arrive at the airport and get through security etc., in case it is busier ( and slower due to protocols in place).

What changes will you be making going forward?