If you’re anything like me, you’re still itching to take to the skies again even though everything’s different now. Yes, the coronavirus has decimated the airline industry. Carriers are going to be smaller going forward with vastly reduced schedules compared with the same period last year. Routes between our favorite city pairs may no longer operate as fewer passengers have made them unprofitable. Companies have prohibited or severely limited business travel. Facial coverings are now required “attire” onboard all major US airlines. However, these aren’t prohibitions, they’ve just changed the parameters. When you’re ready to take your next trip, just know it will likely be domestic since so many countries remain closed to Americans right now. But it isn’t just your time on the aircraft that won’t be the same, neither will your airport experience thanks to COVID-19. Here’s what you should (and soon might) expect at the terminal before you next walk down that jetway.
Since the start of the pandemic, relatively few people have been traveling, particularly by air. The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reports that the number of people transiting through airports nationwide each day is only about 10 to 15 per cent of the totals on the same days last year. One of the positives for those flying is the reduced congestion at airport security checkpoints, particularly at major airports that often saw wait times approach an hour or longer under normal circumstances. “The security gates at Chicago O’Hare were practically empty and we waled right up to the TSA,” says Brian Coughlin, creator of the storytelling app “Hear It.” Should you encounter a line, be advised that you will be expected to remain socially distanced while waiting your turn but overall, less passengers translates to less wait time.
While face coverings are mandatory for passengers to wear on flights with all major US airlines, most airports, along with the TSA, highly encourage travelers to wear them as well. (Some individual states, including New York, have rules requiring the wearing of masks in public spaces.) But, in order to verify your identity, TSA agents will need to see your face unobstructed. A recent TSA press release elaborated by saying, “Passengers are encouraged to wear facial protection and yes, individuals should lower them momentarily when approaching the agent for identity verification purposes.”
The TSA has also implemented new procedures that minimize the risk of virus transmission throughout the security process. Agents will no longer hold your physical boarding pass, so you will have to place it on the scanner yourself, as you do with mobile boarding passes. There are also new rules for what needs to be removed from your bag and placed in a separate bin - namely food, as its removal is supposed to decrease the chance that you bag will need to be manually searched. If your bag does need to be searched, or if you need to be patted down, TSA agents will now put on a fresh pair of gloves.
Unfortunately, for TSA PreCheck members, you might not get to enjoy your complete preferential security experience. "In many airports, Philadelphia included, the TSA has eliminated the dedicated PreCheck lines and gone back to giving those passengers a card which allows them to keep their shoes on,” says Bob Bacheler, founder and managing director of the medical transport company Flying Angels. So, while you just might have to remove that laptop from your bag again, you won’t find yourself tying any shoelaces on a bench after leaving the security checkpoint.
One symptom of the novel coronavirus is an elevated body temperature. Beginning in late June, some travelers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) have been asked to undergo a new screening process long before they get to the security checkpoints: walking past cameras that can flag those with a fever. This pilot program will test the use of thermal imaging cameras at the departures entrance and the corridor for international arrivals in the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Signs will direct travelers to walk through an area where cameras are stationed to detect body temperatures of 104.4 or higher. Anyone showing such an elevated temperature will be taken aside for secondary screening to confirm the readout is correct. Participation is voluntary and the airport will not stop anyone from continuing their journey during the pilot test phase, although airport employees will still provide advice about the risks of traveling with an elevated temperature as predicated by federal and county health officials. Individual airlines that conduct their own temperature screening can still prohibit travelers from flying if they have fevers.
“Through this pilot, we are not going to stop anybody from traveling,” said Justin Erbacci, chief executive of Los Angeles World Airports. “We want to test the accuracy of the technology and to understand if it is really able to capture accurate body temperatures of passengers en masse as they walk through this portal.” He later explained the airport is trying to gather enough information from this pilot program to put together a framework that can be shared across the industry. Using 3 types of cameras on loan, officials have planned two, 6-week trials with input from agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the TSA, Customs and Border Protection and county health officials. On a related note, Southwest Airlines announced recently they‘ll also be testing thermal cameras for spotting travelers with fevers at the Dallas Love Field Airport beginning next month.
Once you clear the security checkpoint, you’ll likely notice things are pretty quiet on the concourse. At many airports, the majority of restaurants and shops are still closed. “There was one quick-service restaurant open and selling food but we opted not to go there,” said Shelby Sabat, a publicist with the Murphy O’Brien firm speaking about her trip through normally very busy LAX in Los Angeles. “We went to the Hudson News shop to buy packaged food, like Chex Mix and bottled water.” At some (not all) hub airports, business is continuing at relatively normal levels. “Charlotte was quite interesting last week as they were busy when I transited,” explained Bacheler. “Many of the restaurants were open but offering take-away only.” Plan ahead and bring your own food or snacks through security and onboard as most carriers have dramatically cut back on food and beverage offerings, even on long transcontinental flights and even in First Class. It’s better to be prepared than to go hungry during your travels.
If you’re a fan and a member of the airport lounges operated by most US carriers, you also need to know that many of them have closed for the time being. Those clubs now open at medium-sized airports are often operating as service centers only to process itinerary changes, seat assignments or upgrades. At carrier hub airports, you can find at least one and usually several airline clubs operating on a full-service basis but full-service doesn’t mean what it used to mean. Showers are no longer available and gone are the self-service buffets. They’ve been replaced with individual, pre-packaged food items. Bars are open only if allowed by executive order which varies from state to state. Most clubs welcoming guests have also imposed new capacity limits in order to encourage proper social distancing.
And finally, the pandemic has accelerated adoption of advanced technology. At the San Francisco International Airport, several escalator handrails are now being automatically disinfected with UV light. As the rubber belts move with these escalators, they pass through the UV light which is said to kill 99.99 per cent of germs. The sterilizers are placed just before passengers hop on, thereby ensuring the handrails are clean when travelers take their first step. Last month, the Pittsburgh International Airport became the first in the country to test robots that clean with UV light so don’t be surprised if you see one roll by you on a concourse sometime soon. It’s quite likely other airports will follow suit if these robots prove to be effective. I'm anxious to see these robots in action!
Until next time...stay safe.
No Pre-check benefits, no lounge benefits and limited First Class benefits??? Oh, what's the point?... A clear review George, Thanks. I do not think I will be dashing back to Heathrow for a while!
Wow things are sure going to be very different going forward. What will you do without the lounge service?