Jeri Sue has met a number of frustrated and frightened passengers during the COVID19 pandemic. They travel believing that everyone else will keep them safe. While businesses and states are taking precautions during these unusual times, they may not be taking the level of precautions you need to make you feel comfortable, or they are taking measures that make things exceptionally inconvenient for you. These can includes things such as social distancing requirements, mask requirements, services that are unavailable, testing requirements, temp checks and quarantines/stay in place requirements. We have experienced people upset going to places of business where masks aren’t required, or upset that they are required to sit too close for their comfort with strangers. On the flip side we’ve seen people upset that they were required to wear a mask when it didn’t seem/feel appropriate to them, or upset they couldn’t get on a flight that actually had empty seats.
While all of this can be frustrating, in todays modern age of communication, there is no reason for a traveler to be uninformed. Assuming that everywhere you go you are going to be surrounded by like minded people is anathema to travel. Leaving home means accepting a certain amount of risk. Expecting everyone to protect you will only lead to fear and frustration. Your best defense is to be informed before you travel.
- Airlines have different policies and are frequently changing their policies as they try to balance between safety and keeping their businesses healthy. When you purchase your ticket, read all of the warnings and information, don’t just skip by it. If you have questions check the airlines web site and if you still aren’t sure, call there customer services. Listen to all announcements at the boarding gate. They try to make sure everyone is informed of requirements before people board.
- Check the website for your hotel, or call ahead and talk to the concierge about what services are available in the area. Be ready to bring your own food.
- Check the state web sites for travel restrictions when traveling to a different state. There are web sites which aggregate this information to make it more convenient, but they won’t always be 100% accurate. I’ve looked up info on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Travel Restrictions – TripsGuard prior to travel and found it helpful, but I also validate with the official state site if there is something I need to be sure of before traveling.
Travel can be a bit unnerving with all of those strange people, and not all of them practicing the same safety precautions. But your are actually 10 times more likely to get COVID 19 in a family gathering then get it while traveling to said gathering.
So stay informed, follow company guidelines, be considerate of others, and as always treat your flight attendant and crew with kindness and respect. They have to work within the restraints of federal and corporate regulations and guidelines, but strive for your safety and comfort.