We can all agree 2020 was a horrible year for all of us, and because of the worldwide madness, many epic trips got canceled. But if you check the skies with apps like Flightrader24, you will see hundreds of airplanes in the sky. People are still flying!
After long consideration and planning, we chose to also fly during the pandemic (on the 29th of December 2020). We flew with KLM from Amsterdam (Schiphol) connecting to Mexico City (CDMX) and then onward with Volaris to Cancun. But…, the big question (and answer) remains; What´s it like flying during a pandemic?
Corona-times
We love KLM. They have always been amazing with their service and friendliness. They’ve made many flights comfortable and easy, and it was also a pleasure to fly with them during ‘corona-times’, but that being said; it was kinda weird!
Extra context: We didn’t need a PCR-test for our flight to Mexico, and no quarantine, and no temperature-checks or whatsoever… Also, kinda weird!
All the stewards and staff were wearing (simple) masks with no other shield or gloves, which felt kinda negligent. The whole idea of the corona- is to limit the possibilities of transmitting the virus, but KLM and its staff didn’t seem to really care that much. After asking friendly, they gave me a very nonchalant casual answer that they didn’t like all the rules. But this wasn’t because they were ignorant or arrogant, they were saying it from a perspective that they haven’t really felt any impact from the virus on colleagues and passengers. It was like Covid-19 didn’t have any impact on the passengers on flights…
Is it maybe because of the air-ventilation?! Is that the big thing that makes flights possible? The hardcore ventilation just might be the answer to why flights aren’t globally halted.
Social distance? NOPE!
This one threw us off. There is absolutely no social distance between passengers and staff. It’s non-existent. There were 140/200 passengers on board, so a lot of people (from other bubbles) were sitting next to each other. And many of them let their mask go when they were drinking and eating. It was all very weird to witness. The image on the streets, where people freak out if you stand too close and the angry eyes when you don’t have a mask on properly, is nowhere to be found on flights.
KLM staff also came very close to others for orders and answering questions. It was a weird sight to see, to say the least.
The flight with Volaris was no different. The staff had gloves and a face shield on, but also; no social distancing, no test, no checks, no questions, no checking if masks are on properly. All in all… it was weird. But maybe it isn’t. The media might have scared us to death. 99.8% of the population doesn’t have corona-virus right now. It’s a bad tough virus, that’s a fact, but still; only 0,2% has it right now.
Scared beyond rationale
I’m no denier of any sort, but maybe we overreacted on some aspects. I’m 0,2% scared to get it, and you all should see it like that. I do really think we should uphold rules like social distancing from strangers, no handshakes, no talking to each other without masks on, and try to be as hygienic as possible, but I also think we shouldn’t be so damn scared. You are a very unlucky individual if you get Covid and even more unlucky if you get to see the insides of a hospital or, extremely unlucky, a morgue.
Next flight?
We’ve made one big flight from The Netherlands to Mexico, to get our adventure started, and aren’t planning on flying any time soon. We'll be traveling by car and bus in the upcoming months. The situation will change drastically in early 2021, so we are waiting for it all out (on a tropical destination instead of lockdown-Europe where it’s dark, cold, and where’s a severe lack of vitamin D). Flying during a pandemic, it seems like a weird thing to do when you're deeply entrenched in the media-hysteria, but when you look at the facts from sites like FlightRader, Covid Controls, and WorldOMeter, it's not that far fetched to make one or two flights to a better destination.
It’s on you amigo
Do we recommend flying right now? It’s hard to say. Maybe it’s smart – especially if you are over 50 years old, overweight, and maybe have some tough health-issues – to wait out another whole year so that you and 80+% of the world are vaccinated, but that would mean you wouldn’t travel to many cool places.
You could always go travel in your own country, which is also a great option, but if you’re healthy, young, strong, and have a strong desire to travel: go right ahead! Flying during a pandemic is not as ‘forbidden' as the media portrays, and if you follow all the rules and stay as healthy as can be, you'll be fine!
Your call.
Pro-tip: Check Covid Controls for facts, tips, and know-how about current situations in all countries around the world. They will provide you with the best and most safe option for you.
Pro-tip: Seriously, boost your immune system. Get in shape right now. Eat healthily, ditch the news cycle, lose the stress, meditate, take vitamins, don´t drink alcohol for now, and do a little workout every day. Being the strongest and healthiest version of yourself is the biggest factor in defeating Covid if you catch it. With you staying strong while fighting this tough virus, you could save lives because you won’t see the inside of the hospital.
Pro-tip: Book with flexibility with Skyscanner!
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*pics: Unsplash.