Travelling during Pandemic - How is it different to normal?

Hi,

Are you planning on travelling abroad from the UK but you’re not sure what to expect or you’re worried. This blog is to help you answer some of the questions.

Questions asked:

Do I feel safe traveling abroad?

What are the safety measures at the airports or on planes?

Do you have to wear a mask all the time?

How long is the waiting time?

Is it any different to normal travel?

What do I need while travelling?

Are people sticking to social distancing?

Can I have food on the plane?

Can I use the toilet on the plane ?

If you want to find out anything more, make sure to leave me a comment or write me a message on my social media

Now let’s get to the answers. This September (2020) I took a few-day trip to Italy.

At the moment the Coronavirus is still happening, countries have lockdowns, people need to self isolate or quarantine, there are a lot of things to consider. However, it’s not as bad at the moment as it was for example four months ago, that is why I decided to take that trip and not cancel my holidays (again). One of the main questions I got was “Aren’t you scared to travel abroad during pandemic?”. If someone had asked me back in May I would have probably said “Yes”, however now, I can say “No”. As long as we all follow the rules and make sure we do all we have to do to protect each other and not do anything silly, I don’t feel scared of travelling.

Honestly before we travelled I wasn’t sure how it was going to work, what things would be allowed or not. But it’s not that scary! I promise ;)

At the airports all people have to wear a mask from entering the airport until they leave the airport at their final destination. It might seem like a long time but trust me we can all do that and it keeps us all safe (at least in some way).

As for the social distancing where possible people do keep their distance, every 2nd chair is blocked and there are hand sanitiser stations, however when queuing for passport control, safety checks or waiting to board a plane there is no social distancing at all (it’s impossible) that is why we all have to wear a mask. All the staff members at the airports and on the plane wear masks too, so you’re not the only one who has to “suffer”.

Some things differ to a normal travel. One thing that mainly caught my attention was the fact that “gates” close way quicker than they used to. It used to be about 10-15min before departure now it’s 30-45min. That’s why make sure to arrive at the airport with enough extra time to allow yourself to go through all the checks, use the toilet, buy something to drink and find your gate before they close. Trust me, you don’t want to run like a headless chicken trying to find your gate when the plane is about to leave.

Another difference is that you can’t freely go to the toilet during the flight. If you wish to use it you have to call for the assistance in order to go to there.

If you’re travelling during pandemic make sure to have min 2 masks, hand sanitiser and a drink (to stay hydrated) with you.

As for the food- yes you are allowed to eat ;) You just have to make sure you wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before and after eating. And yes! You are allowed to take your mask off for the time of eating, but you have to put it back on after you finish.

Another very important thing is the „Public Health Passenger Locator form” you have to fill out before coming back to the UK. Its a small survey which asks you questions about your travel including where you were staying and where you would stay for the first 14 days of your time in the UK, your flight, telephone number etc. This helps to make sure they know how to contact you in case there is an outbreak.

There are few changes to the “normal” travel but I think it’s not terrible and if we really want to travel, it is possible.

Thank you for reading and I hope this blog was helpful to some of you. If you have any more questions make sure to comment down below or send me a message.

Don't forget to visit my Instagram travel page for photos from my trip :) https://www.instagram.com/travel_with_kai

Xoxo

Kai