Air travel in the time of COVID-19

Many of us are all raring to travel again, to explore the world, or to be united with family and friends.

The airline industry, indeed, wants to see the travel market recover and hopefully put an end to the turbulent times.

Our local airline companies have laid-off workers – ground crew, pilots, rank and file employees. One airline company offered a retirement package of one month for every year of service plus one extra year, while another offered one month for every year of service, a sign of bleak times. In other industries, the package consists of 1.5 months.

If you push through with your flight, you are certainly helping airline companies and their employees, but first know what you are getting into.

I’m sharing here my experience from a recent trip with the hope that I may be able to help others who need to do essential trips in these dangerous times.

It’s certainly not a suicide mission, but there are risks.

The anxiety and stress creep in long before you step on the plane, before you check in or before you even find your spot in the surprisingly still very long queues at the immigration counters.

If you do make it back, it will take days before you can finally retreat to the comfort of your home and lie on your very own bed.

Before you fly out

The stress hits days before the flight as you prepare for the trip.

I joined Philippine Airlines flight PR8680, a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)-chartered turnaround repatriation flight to Beirut last September 25 to bring home 317 distressed overseas Filipino workers raring to leave the West Asian country amid the uncertainty brought about by the economic woes there.

First things first

First, you need to ask yourself if the trip is worth the risk. If you decide to go, take full responsibility for your decision.

Deciding is easy. The hard part is preparing for the trip.

You need to buy all the essentials for the trip such as alcohol, sanitizer, gloves, full PPEs, masks and face shields.

You also need to take a swab test anywhere from 48 to 72 hours before departure. I’m not sure if this is mandatory, but in my case I was instructed by the DFA to do so.

You also need to buy things for the post-flight quarantine –food, coffee, drinks –  and bring them with you throughout the trip because you will go straight to your pre-booked quarantine place upon arrival.

Entering the airport

On the day of the flight, bring with you utmost discipline and presence of mind. Don’t let your guard down.

You will not be allowed to enter the airport without a face shield and mask. Wearing of PPEs depends on the airlines.

The moment I entered the airport, I saw hundreds of other passengers in white PPEs, like Barney & Friends, Zombieland version – without the smiles and multiplied a hundred times. It’s a stark reminder of the times, like an apocalypse of sorts.

It’s shocking and sad, but your eyes and mind will soon adjust to the new reality.

Inside the plane

As I’ve said before, in the context of being infected with the virus, the plane is safer than most of us may imagine.

This is because of the High Efficiency Particulate Air or HEPA filters that cleanse the cabin air of viruses, bacteria and impurities with 99.99 percent efficacy every two to three minutes.

The only thing you need to find out is if your plane is  indeed using HEPA filters.

PAL, the airline tapped by DFA for our flight, was recognized as one of the top 10 airlines across the globe with the highest safety credentials for travel during COVID-19 following an audit of more than 150 airlines conducted by Safe Travel Barometer. It secured a 4.2 rating out of 5.0, the highest score.

Airlines are indeed taking all the necessary precautions to help revive the travel market.

Don’t take your mask off

My flight took 11.5 hours each way and I wore my mask the whole time. It’s really not as awful as I thought. My BioMask – use medical grade masks and not the cloth masks – was very comfortable.

I only took it off when I ate, but I made sure others around me had  finished their meals. I also changed my mask often.

On the flight back, I wore a full PPE. It’s also not as bad as I thought. In fact, it kept me warm and comfortable inside the cold cabin.

Quarantine

When you land, you will need to take another swab test.

While waiting for your results, you need to stay in a quarantine facility. Once there, you will not be allowed – not for a second – to leave your room. No food from outside may be delivered to you, so choose the facility that will meet your dietary requirements.

That said, traveling these days is not a suicide mission. But there are risks, so you have to ask yourself if the trip is worth taking.

As for me, I’m back safe and I’m glad I braved the repatriation mission. I thank my fellow Filipinos for sharing with me their stories. Hearing their experiences was good for my weary soul. It’s an honor to tell your stories but most of all, it’s an honor to be part of the flight that brought you back home.

Iris Gonzales’ email address is [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at eyesgonzales.com