My Experience Flying During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Flying Delta During Covid-19
I recently had my first experience flying for the first time in almost a year. Flying during the Covid-19 pandemic was very odd, and it was a bit mentally draining to be in an airport and around so many people. After nine months of working remotely and spending most of my time in nature, I was very aware of my surroundings at the airport and the potential risks around me. Overall, I think both the MSP Airport and Delta Airlines did a fantastic job keeping us safe.
10 Observations about Flying During Covid-19
Here’s a roundup of the observations I made in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and on a Delta flight to New York while flying during the Covid-19 pandemic. Overall it was a positive experience and I only had a few concerns.
- As soon as I entered the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport there was signage directing people to socially distance.
2. I flew on December 13 so that I could avoid peak holiday travel. The airport was very empty and I got through security in under ten minutes.
3. The security process felt like a normal process. Nothing was different other than everyone wearing masks.
4. Everyone was wearing masks (it’s required) and many people were wearing shields like me. I also noticed some people with plastic gloves and one person wearing a full body suit, which you’ll see in my video above.
5. Bathrooms felt clean and empty, but that’s typical for the MSP airport, which won Cintas’ America’s Best Restroom Award. They’re so bright and have beautiful artwork.
6. Restaurants were too crowded for my comfort. Because people are eating and drinking there, many did not have masks on. It felt starkly different from the rest of the airport where people were spaced out and wearing masks.
7. Delta did a fantastic job during the boarding process. There was no crowding in the hallway like I have heard from friends traveling other airlines. The aisles on the plane were also not overcrowded and people were giving each other plenty of space.
8. I received a hand sanitizer wipe from a flight attendant when I first boarded the plane, which I used to wipe down my armrests and TV screen.
9. Delta is still handing out snacks, but the process looks different. It’s a zip lock bag with snacks, bottled water and another hand sanitizer wipe inside. Flight attendants were barely seen on the flight other than handing out the snack bags and collecting garbage a few times.
10. It was a mentally draining experience because it was so odd to be out in public and around so many people. But all things considered, I’m highly impressed with how the MSP Airport and Delta handled this very tricky situation.
6 Comments
Josy A
This really doesn’t sound too bad – I guess it is good that you went early so it wasn’t too busy. I am still pretty uncomfortable about the idea as if we go home to family it is SUCH a long flight (and we’d be flying into a covid-19 hotspot in London…) I am glad to see it was okay for you, but I don’t think we’ll be able to manage it for a bit longer… 🙁
p.s. You started making videos!? Woot – it looks great!
Kristen Glazer
I understand your concern. New York had been a hotspot for so long as well, it took months of planning for me to pull this off safely. I hope you can get home to London soon though!
MK Dymock
What a surreal world we live in right now. Glad you stayed safe.
Kristen Glazer
It was a strange experience, but all things considered I felt very safe.
Susan
Thanks for sharing your honest experience. Sounds like Delta is doing a nice job managing this challenging situation. For me, though, I’m not quite ready for extended periods of time indoors. It’s helpful to know what to expect when I’m ready!
Kristen Glazer
I totally understand. If I hadn’t already gone a full year without seeing my family I wouldn’t have done that. Delta did a great job making me feel safe.