The idea of traveling by plane for business during the pandemic may make you feel nervous, and rightfully so. The more time you spend around other people outside of your household, the greater your chances of contracting the coronavirus. The question is, will air travel ever return to normal amid the current pandemic, and what changes are in effect now to cope with the coronavirus in today’s airports? Travel expert Brian Ferdinand recently answered these questions in a newly published article.
TODAY’S TRAVEL SITUATION
According to Brian Ferdinand, who is the managing partner of SoBeNY and its parent company, CorpHousing Group, domestic travel will likely pick up much more quickly than international travel does during the pandemic. That’s because the borders of some countries remain closed in an effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, countries with open borders have instituted mandatory 14-day quarantines for all people visiting from today’s hotbed locations, which include the United States
Yet another reason why domestic travel is rebounding more quickly is because domestic travelers spend a lot less time in the sky than international travelers do. This means domestic travelers don’t spend as much time around other people on airplanes and in airports, which lowers their chances of being exposed to the virus. International flights generally take at least eight hours or more to complete, but domestic flights usually take around three hours each, with the longest flight being no more than 6.5 hours (from Seattle to Miami).
CHANGES IN AIR TRAVEL
Given the current pandemic, you may see more companies restricting business travel to director-level workers or the C-suite. Thus, if you are a support staff member, you likely won’t be going on any unnecessary trips by plane, or if you do, this type of travel will most likely be limited indefinitely. Your employer has likely already instituted this change in an effort to keep you safe while also rebuilding their finances following the Spring 2020 lockdowns, which financially devastated many companies across the country.
Also, let’s say that you are a seasoned business traveler. Chances are that you’ll be encouraged to take part in an expedited security program at the airport, which will allow you to move through your TSA checkpoints rather quickly. This will dramatically decrease the number of interactions you have with fellow travelers and thus help you to avoid catching the virus and suffering from COVID-19.
