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<Thread> I've now been on 4 flights + four different airports in the #Covid_19 / #COVID era (since April 15). Here are some tips for those who have to fly and/or are worried about flying. Its not a fun experience, to say the least, but you can make it easier on yourself 1/x
1-Have a good meal and drink alot of water before leaving your house. Depending on the airport, you may not have a chance to do so before your flight. Eg Gatwick only had Boots open, Istanbul had restaurants but charge $18 for a burger and soda. For healthy food, eat at home 2/x
2-When you get on the plane, do not count on the staff to enforce the mask rule. Ppl take off masks whenever flight attendants aren't looking, its is very stressful. I got tired of playing mask police after a while, but that meant keeping mine on for nearly 11 hours (!) 3/x
3-For eg @TurkishAirlines asked ppl in the same row to not eat at the same time (they handed out sandwich, juice, water, snack). I let me rowmate eat first. He wasnt so courteous. Kept his mask under his nose so I ate in the kitchen where the flight attendants WERE masked. 4/x
4-Even if he had put his mask on, I was paranoid about the 3 ppl in my immediate vicinity who didn't have their masks on properly. Hence my first point: eat at home & keep your mask on in the air! Ok, so that's on food. Now for contact tracing...5/x
5-Initially the staff said no one could sit in a seat different than the one on their ticket. But b/c there were many empty seats they let ppl move around to spread out. BUT...on the forms that we fill for contact tracing, my rowmate put the seat number on his ticket 6/x
I explained that he had to put his seat number where he was sitting in case either of us got sick, so that the other would be contacted. He complied but what about others? And does this mean staff have to enforce? Another reason to keep mask on at all times, esp because..7/x
When I got to customs at JFK, the officer took a cursory glance at the form and gave it back to me! So how are they contact tracing? He didnt take down any of the info, even though I checked "yes" for being in the UK (a specific Q on the form) in past 14 days. 8/x
6-Conclusion: Be prepared when you fly. Make arrangements. Eat beforehand, mask up (I personally will wear a face shield+mask on my flight back). And honestly, if you're vulnerable & don't have to fly, please don't. Hope this was helpful. Good luck+fly well!;) Oh, and ps...9/x
7-A HUGE thank you to the @TurkishAirlines flight attendants (& all other airlines) for keeping their cool & being so gracious under v. stressful circumstances. Now that the skies are open, we should all appreciate their jobs & help make their lives easier in the air. <END>
