Flying in the Covid-19 Era

 

Since the world came to a halt in March, the travel industry has taken a huge financial hit. Vacations, gatherings, and business trips were cancelled. Within a matter of weeks, our world went virtual. Work, school, medical consults, and even church services were quickly converted to online formats. 

It has been five months since Covid-19 hit our nation, and the effects are still lingering. Although more people are choosing to travel, some aspects have changed drastically, while others remain the same. Flying in the midst of a pandemic that just won't go away can be stressful and uncertain. I recently flew from Alaska to Pennsylvania and back, so I thought I would share my personal experiences to better help others prepare and know what to expect.

On my way out of the state, I flew in three very different aircrafts with three different companies. On the way back, I flew in four aircrafts with those same three companies. My takeaway- every company handles Covid-19 a bit differently.

Although there have been some adaptations and protocols adopted in order to help slow the spread of Covid-19, flying is still a risk and should be considered before planning a flight. For some individuals, the risk is worth the benefits. For others, it isn't. Everyone is different and will make different decisions, and hopefully my experience can give a little insight into what could be expected.

My Flying Experience

Small, Private Business

Checking in with the small, private business was very similar to past practices, however they no longer hand you their reusable boarding passes. Instead, they take your name as you board. 

Sanitizing practices seemed to be hit and miss. The first time I flew with them, I saw an employee in the plane with cleaning supplies between flights. The second time I flew with them, we were the last flight of the day and there was no sanitizing before we boarded the flight. It was obvious they were in a hurry to be done for the day.

Masks were required on the flight, however there was no social distancing in the plane. All seats were eligible for purchase.

Alaska Airlines

Most airlines seem to have already mastered the self check-in process before social distancing was even a thing. Alaska Airlines is no exception. I walked up to a check-in kiosk, got my boarding passes, tagged my own luggage, and dropped off my checked bag with the employee. I checked in two hours early and there was almost no one at the kiosks.

Waiting for my Alaska Airlines flights was no different than pre-Covid circumstances. The gate areas have always been crowded for their plane capacity and it was virtually impossible to social distance in the gate area or when loading the plane.

I was pleased to find that Alaska left the middle seats empty on both of my flights, allowing some space between passengers. Their food and beverage service was extremely limited but since my flights were long, they did offer mini cans of soda, mini bottles of water, and a small packaged snack. There were no other food or beverage options offered or available for purchase.

I saw employees with cleaning supplies depart the plane before each of my flights.

Masks were required to be worn on the flight except when actively eating or drinking.

American Airlines

Checking into American Airlines was similar to Alaska. They had multiple self-service kiosks available. Once again, I checked in two hours early and there were multiple kiosks available. I printed my boarding passes and tagged my checked bag before dropping it off with the employee.

The planes I rode in with American were smaller, with two seats on each side of the aisle. There was no social distancing on the plane- all of the seats were eligible for purchase, and all three of the flights I took on this type of aircraft were full.

Social distancing at the gate and while boarding was impossible to maintain, as I am sure is the same with any airline. There is a limited amount of space and more people than the gate areas can manage for appropriate social distancing.

One of the three flights offered hand sanitizing wipes upon boarding. There was no food or beverage service on any of the flights I took. (One flight was 4.5 hours while the other two were 1.5 hours)

Like the other airlines, masks were required to be worn on the flight.

Airports

Masks were required in all four major airports that I traveled through: Anchorage, Seattle, Chicago, and Pittsburgh.

I went through airport security in Anchorage and Pittsburgh. Social distancing was honored and people seemed to stand on the floor markers in line. Upon presenting my photo ID, I was asked to remove my mask for a few seconds so the security employee could verify my identity. They did not ask my 10-year-old son to remove his mask to see what his face looked like.

Going through the scanner was chaotic as usual, and social distancing went out the window. Seemingly, so did sanitation. The bins where people place their belongings for screening and the counter where larger belongings are placed did not seem to be cleaned recently. It did not seem that bins were being sanitized between uses.

The biggest surprise to me when travelling through the airports was the amount of stores and restaurants that were closed. In the Anchorage airport, there were no places selling food that were open before going through security. Once through security, food options were very limited.

All four airports had numerous places closed up. Some were restaurants while others were souvenir shops or book stores. I had heard that airlines were not offering food for purchase any longer and had brought snacks with me. I was glad, because the limited food choices have caused the wait at the places that are open to be much longer. Additionally, travelers are forced to go in search of open places beyond their immediate gate area. This doesn't always pan out well if you have a short layover and not a lot of time between flights.

I would not rely on souvenir shops or restaurants being available when you travel and be prepared accordingly. 

Another suggestion: If you will be traveling for a long time (from the first airport to the last for me was almost 24 hours one way) you might consider bringing a few clean masks and switching them out throughout your flight. Try to get ones that are comfortable and that won't hurt your ears after hours of use.

Covid-19 Procedure in Alaska

Alaska just changed their Covid-19 regulations as of today. The previous regulations were applicable to me as I arrived before today, however the procedures for the declaration form and testing have stayed the same.

When arriving to Alaska, all residents and non-residents have to fill out a travel declaration form. This is best done on a smart phone, as once it is complete you will be emailed a QR code. You will need this QR code to get through the first part of the process.

Even though they have been doing this travel declaration for a while, many travelers were confused and held up by the requirement of scanning a code or typing in a web address in order to fill out the travel declaration form. I did not see paper forms available, nor did I see computers available for individuals without smart phones. There was limited staff available to assist the many individuals deplaning and arriving in the Anchorage airport.

The airport is set up so that individuals cannot exit the secured location until they provide evidence that they have filled out the travel declaration form.

Once I had my QR code for my completed travel declaration form (it is emailed once you complete it), one of the employees directed me to a station where another employee was waiting with a smart tablet. She scanned my QR code and was able to review the travel declaration form that I had filled out. Since I opted to get Covid testing at the airport, she instructed me to scan a different QR code, which took me to a website where I could schedule a Covid test. I was told that the Covid testing was by the baggage claim, received a travel voucher to for a second Covid-19 test in 7-10 days, and sent on my way.

Once I got my bag, I entered the line for the Covid testing. The process was a bit confusing because once you filled out the online form for the test, you have to go back to your email and click a confirmation link. Then you are sent a different email with the confirmation code. There was only one employee assisting with the technology for this, and I witnessed one older couple leave in frustration and say they would come back the following day. Once again, I did not see any paper forms available and there were no computers for individuals without smart phones to use.

After I received the confirmation code in my email, I was able to proceed to the next step. I read my confirmation code to an employee at the check-in center. She wrote my code on a test kit and handed it to me, where I then waited in line for one of the two testers to be available. The two testing areas were sectioned off with dividers and it was fairly private. The employee walked me through doing my own nasal swab test, sealing it up, and I was sent on my way. 

According to testing registration email, I will be emailed my test results. Since those who are tested must confirm their email address before getting tested, I felt comfortable that they had the correct email address on file for me. Test results are supposed to take 3-5 days, however I have heard of it taking up to 7 days for some results to be sent.

Covid-19 Testing Mandate in Alaska

Alaska just changed their testing mandate for Alaska. You can view the most current mandate here.

As of August 11th, the following regulations apply:

For all travelers (resident and nonresident):

-Complete a Travel Declaration Form and Self-Isolation Plan in the Alaska Travel Portal.

-All travelers with negative results must still follow strict social distancing for 14 days after arriving into the state or until the traveler receives a second negative test result from a test taken 7-14 days after arrival.

-The five-day pretest option is no longer available for any travelers.

For nonresident travelers:

-Test 72 hours before departure.

-Upload negative result into the Alaska Travel Portal or have results available to show screeners at the airport.

-If still awaiting results by arrival time, travelers will need to upload proof of a test taken into the Alaska Travel Portal or show that proof of a test taken to an airport screener and self-quarantine, at their own expense, while waiting for results. The results must be uploaded into the portal when received.

-If a nonresident arrives without a pre-test, testing is available for $250 per test. The traveler will be required to quarantine while waiting on results.

-The 14-day quarantine option is no longer available for nonresident travelers.

For Alaska resident travelers:

-Test 72 hours prior to departure, with the same rules as listed for nonresidents.

-Testing at arrival remains available at no cost to Alaska residents.

-The 14-day quarantine option is still available to Alaska residents.

-Alaska residents traveling within the state will now have the option of free testing at the airport sites, to prevent bringing the virus into our small communities.

-Proof of Alaska residency can be shown with one of the following:

Alaska driver’s license or state issued ID card.

Federally recognized Alaska Tribal identification card.

Active duty military ID card or active duty dependent ID card.

Employment verification letter on employer letterhead or school verification letter for in-person schooling stating traveler is moving to Alaska for employment or school.