Flying during a pandemic

With a global pandemic going on, the last thing that anyone is thinking about is boarding a plane and going on a long flight with people who could potentially have the virus. Unfortunately, I had to fly during the pandemic at the start of summer vacation. Here is what my experience was like.

When I arrived at DFW airport in Dallas-Fort Worth on May 25, I was equipped with 4 things: my suitcase, multiple facemasks, Clorox wipes, and hands sanitizer. Government officials and health outlets consistently talked about the dangers of flying during a pandemic, and I wanted to be prepared as much as possible.

The moment that I went into the airport, I was in an instant shock. As I looked across the terminal area, I barely saw over 20 people. This was so much different than before COVID-19, where you would see hundreds of people running around, in a rush to check-in and get on their flights. There were no wait lines to check my suitcase, and everyone was wearing a mask. When approaching the check-in counter to confirm my flight, there was a Plexiglass screen in-between me and the airport employee.

After checking-in, I went to do the worst part of the flying process: going through TSA security. In the past, the TSA line would be so long that by the time I made it through, I barely had time left to get to my flight. This time was different. The line, that used to wrap around and seem to continue forever, was considerably shorter, with people distanced six feet apart according to stickers on the ground. Just about every person was wearing a mask or some kind of face shield to protect themselves. I did see the occasional person try to wait in the line maskless, but they were immediately given a mask by an employee, or the person waiting next to them would demand that they wear a mask for the safety of others. They always complied. The TSA line barely took any time to go through, giving me 30 minutes to wait before boarding the flight.

Usually, when I go to airports, the food court area is packed with people eating. This time, it was bare, with hardly anyone sitting at the tables to eat. The airport Chick-fil-a line was very long, though, as every single Chick-fil-a in America is all the time.

When boarding my flight, everyone was called in sections of 10 people. Because I fly Southwest Airlines, every passenger is given the letter A, B, or C, and number from 1-60 before boarding. The employee calls groups of passengers based on the combination, from A1-30 to C 35-60, and we usually all line-up, scan our boarding passes, and got on to the plane. This time, the employee called us up in very small groups. Instead of saying ‘A group 1-30, you may now board’, they said ‘A group 1-10, please stay 6 feet apart as you board’. I was A14, so I was one of the first people on the plane, which was nice.

As I got onto the plane and looked for a seat, the flight attendant announced that passengers should only sit in window seats, unless they were flying with more people. When I sat down in my window seat and waited for everyone else to board the plane, I noticed that everyone was following directions and only taking the window seats. Every person was spaced out and distanced from each other, and everyone kept on their masks… without being asked. I remember my mind flashing to the articles and videos I saw about fights breaking out on planes because a passenger refused to put on the mandatory face mask. I didn’t think that people would be so responsible and follow directions.

The flight was super empty, in comparison to the rows and rows of people that I usually see scrunched up together before the virus. Not a single baby was crying, no dogs were barking, and everyone was very silent. The flight attendant didn’t give out any snacks other than a bottle of water and a package of nuts, which I expected. There’s no point in offering a ton of beverages and food items during a pandemic and possibly increase the spread of the virus.

At the end of the flight when it was time to get off the plane, everyone was let off in groups of 10, to lessen the number of people getting in close contact with one another. Leaving the plane, the attendants offered us hand sanitizer and wished us safe travels.

The flight was so calm and relaxing, and a completely different experience from all the flights I took before the pandemic. I understand that there are going to be more safety precautions and people are going to be more cautious before COVID-19, but I hope that it stays like this for a while longer in the future. Everything was so organized and safe, my worries about flying during a pandemic weren’t as intense by the time I left the airport and headed to my destination. While I won’t be seeking out any extra flights anytime soon, I know that if I need to fly somewhere in the upcoming months, the airport has a system in place to keep us, passengers, safe.