Airports and flying this year

[FairestOfThemAll37]

So airlines have been trying various mitigation plans and now the TSA is rolling out new procedures for screening and security checkpoints. Flying seems like it’s going to be a hot mess. IMO there’s really no way to properly social distance on a plane and they’re absolutely filthy. Airports might be a little easier, but it’s a lot of people and a lot of surfaces. I feel like any risk mitigation is something that works on paper but the reality is going to be a logistical nightmare and/or not really work (I feel this way about the parks too).

With people talking about summer vacations and plans to get somewhere for some sanity sometime in 2020, I’m wondering how people plan to get there. For me, it seems like driving or flying private would be the only way to go until things play out a lot more. Unfortunately, driving really limits things.

I’m personally cautious, but think things have to open. I am worried about the parks opening and the influx of people it could bring to the area making the airport seem even more daunting.

What are your thoughts on flying in all this?

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/ts...1df6&esrc=POPSUGAR_SWPS_17&utm_term=CNT_Intel

 

[Praying Colonel]

DW and I were planning on flying to Japan in August to visit DS. She still wants to go if the travel ban is lifted. Me, I'm not excited about sitting in a metal tube with 300 other people breathing the recycled air for 13 hours, but I'm funny that way.

 

[bcla]

DW and I were planning on flying to Japan in August to visit DS. She still wants to go if the travel ban is lifted. Me, I'm not excited about sitting in a metal tube with 300 other people breathing the recycled air for 13 hours, but I'm funny that way.

The recycling of air isn't a big deal. They can adjust how much external air is used, and they're required to use a high efficiency filter.

My big worry would be the direct breathing and potentially coughing from other passengers.

 

[TLSnell1981]

We have 2 or 3 trips still planned this year. They are definitely too far to drive to. We fly or stay home. No other options really...

 

[kdonnel]

Have a flight booked for July.

I have no fear of getting on the plane.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

We currently don't have any plans this summer since our SIP doesn't allow for any non-essential travel, but if we were, it would have to be within driving distance. Both the safety of getting there and the ability to get home, should the situation change.

That said, we have a cruise in March out of FL that I'm still hoping we'll be able to do, so we'll have to get on a plane for that. But I sort of think, if I'm willing to get on a cruise ship, the plane will be the last of my worries.

 

[kirstenb1]

MIL passed away in January due to complications from long time Alzheimers. Her wish was to be buried in Maine, where she was from. So we have plans to take care of that in August (earliest we could realistically get in, with all the travel restrictions). We'll fly there. Covid is a concern, but life in general is risky, so we'll just do our best.

 

[5kidsmommy]

We are flying in September. The drive would be about 16 hours. If we fly we will have to be in the airport a few hours before our flight. We have our seats already and will be in one row at the front of the plane. We can limit what we touch and when in the airport we can avoid other people.

If we drive we will have to stop lots of times to use the restroom, get gas and we will have to stay in a hotel overnight. We will also have to stop and get food plus we will be driving through mutliple states.

I honestly think we'll have less exposure on a direct 2.5 hour flight compared to a 16 hour drive.

 

[TippyThomas]

I've never been in an airport or on an airplane in my life. I'm not about to change that habit any time soon.

 

[firefly_ris]

We have a flight to St. Thomas in November but not sure what will happen by then.

We also have a trip to Ottawa booked in August, but we will be driving there (it's a private campground that you rent the whole thing out) but that will depend on if the border is open by then. But that's one where we will be packing all of our groceries at home, going straight there, staying there and that's it until we go home, it's not a sight seeing or interacting with other people sort of trip.

But, I didn't fly on an airplane until I was 18 and my parents took me to Europe for a vacation. We drove from Maryland to NYC, OC, Williamsburg, VA Beach, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, WDW, etc. Some were very long drives but that's just the way we did it. It does require eating up a little extra vacation time on the road though. But definitely possible to drive all over the continental US. I've never been out west though, but when I was a baby and before I was born my parents drove from MD to the Grand Canyon.

 

[Meriweather]

No plans to fly until Dec. Hopefully things will be improving by then.
Going to WDW and live in AZ, so flying is a must. I have not purchased air tickets yet though

 

[kdonnel]

I've never been in an airport or on an airplane in my life. I'm not about to change that habit any time soon.

I can’t even imagine.

 

[AlohaNow]

We’ll be flying over July 4th weekend. I keep checking back at Southwest’s website and the fare for our flights has only increased, so demand is obviously rising. My thought is that people have been flying throughout this entire mess. I realize that sometimes there were less than ten people on a flight, so not too much exposure going on there. Southwest has promised open middle seats through July 31, though family groups can occupy middle seats to sit together. I was thinking that we could get to the airport later than usual, but info points to getting there early due to increased screening requirements.

It’s a two hour direct flight and no one in our party has any qualms about it. I checked with my teenagers and they are raring to get out of here and really excited for our trip. We’ll all wear masks at the airport and on the flight of course. This is the new normal for a while and we’re going to venture into it and continue to experience life. Right now everyone is going to do whatever they feel is in their own level of comfort and I respect that. We have no problem flying a month from now and I’ll report back with how it was!

 

[georgina]

My only concern with flying is that someone might pick up the virus while traveling, then get sick once at the destination and be unable to leave until symptoms subside. We cancelled a large family reunion in July because so many people would be flying from different destinations, between the risk of illness (3 generations of family) and the airlines keep cancelling/moving flights, it seemed wise to cancel.

I have a WDW trip scheduled in Oct that I could potentially drive to; flying and potentially getting a fever would prevent me from getting into any parks or getting on a plane home. Solo trip, sick on my own in Florida, does not sound fun. DH is supposed to go to the Cayman Islands in Oct and SW for now has cancelled ALL their flights there in Oct, including his, although they have not refunded him yet so I suspect they may reschedule them.

For now we are just waiting to see what happens. I rescheduled my DS's July flights to December, Alaska airlines still had all the middle seats unavailable on the Dec flights.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

We’ll be flying over July 4th weekend. I keep checking back at Southwest’s website and the fare for our flights has only increased, so demand is obviously rising. My thought is that people have been flying throughout this entire mess. I realize that sometimes there were less than ten people on a flight, so not too much exposure going on there. Southwest has promised open middle seats through July 31, though family groups can occupy middle seats to sit together. I was thinking that we could get to the airport later than usual, but info points to getting there early due to increased screening requirements.

It’s a two hour direct flight and no one in our party has any qualms about it. I checked with my teenagers and they are raring to get out of here and really excited for our trip. We’ll all wear masks at the airport and on the flight of course. This is the new normal for a while and we’re going to venture into it and continue to experience life. Right now everyone is going to do whatever they feel is in their own level of comfort and I respect that. We have no problem flying a month from now and I’ll report back with how it was!

I wonder if it’s truly increased demand or the keeping middle seats open that’s driving up prices? It’s probably both, but I’m very interested to see travel numbers in the next month or two.

 

[AlohaNow]

I wonder if it’s truly increased demand or the keeping middle seats open that’s driving up prices? It’s probably both, but I’m very interested to see travel numbers in the next month or two.

That’s a really good point. I just keep checking back out of curiosity. As someone who used to work in the travel industry, I’ll be interested in seeing travel numbers for this summer as well.

As to @georgina point above regarding getting sick while at your destination. That is valid and of course would be a problem for folks going very far from home. Every single portion of our trip is fully cancellable and changeable. If someone got sick while there, we would have a nine hour drive back home in a rental car. If something changes with flying before we depart that would make us feel unsafe, we’d cancel the flights and drive instead. We’ve thought of contingencies all along the way and are still going to go for it.

 

[Brett Wyman]

We were frequent flyers who will not fly again for a long long time. We are lucky to have a large portion of our favorite vacation spots within a 4-8 hours drive.

 

[SaintsManiac]

No plans to fly until October 2021 for a quick trip to WDW for the 50th. We are driving on our longer trip in May.

The thought of air travel exhausts me right now.

 

[TippyThomas]

I can’t even imagine.

Just not my thing. I have no interest to fly at all.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

I flew yesterday to Cincinnati - it was easy - flights were clean. We all had on masks.
WIll probably fly to Atlanta next month for a bridal shower.
I will take precautions but am continuing to live life.