If you are going to visit family during the holidays, conducting necessary business, or taking a much-needed vacation, there are several reasons you may be flying this winter. If you do choose to take to the skies amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, you may need some extra precautions to stay safe and healthy. Here are our flying tips during COVID to keep you and your family protected.
Watch Your Surfaces
You must be careful about what you touch or rest on while you are traveling. Watch what you put your hands, arms, or luggage on - both when you are in the airport at on the airplane. Avoid making contact whenever you can. Then make sure to sanitize or cover what you do need to touch. The most touched areas of the aircraft are the ones about which you should be most careful. These include everything around the seat - the tray table, air vent, light button, seatbelt, and armrest. You can wipe down most of these with sanitizing wipes, but if you want to ensure safety for the area you will use the most, you will want to cover the armrest. The Travel Arm Guard is the perfect solution to this dilemma. This easy-to-use guard slips right over the armrest to protect you and your family from the germs living on the hard plastic of the armrest. The Travel Arm Guard features a memory foam topper so that you can be comfortable during a long flight. The Travel Arm Guard also has side pockets to keep your small items protected and conveniently located. The Travel Arm Guard even comes with sanitizing wipes so you can wipe down your personal area before installing the Arm Guard.
Wear a Mask
This should go without saying, but you absolutely need to wear a mask covering your nose and mouth. A mask protects both you and everyone around you, in case you are COVID-positive and don’t know it. Health experts have assured the public that there is no danger to your health from wearing a mask for a long time, and it is the best way to keep safe while traveling. It is crucial to wear a mask for the whole time that you are in the airport, on the airplane, or in any public space. If you need to remove your mask to eat or drink, make sure you are at a safe distance from other passengers for that time, and replace your mask immediately after. For an extra layer of protection, you can add a face shield that covers your eyes as well as your nose and mouth.
Stay Seated
Once you get on the airplane, stay put. The airplane’s ventilation system is very effective in keeping the airflow directed back to the same seat where it comes from, as well as sanitizing the air. Because of this, an airplane is actually known to be safer than other indoor spaces. However, this ventilation system works best if you stay in your seat. Staying put also helps the seatback barrier prevent the spread of the coronavirus on the airplane. Try to use the facilities and get whatever snacks or drinks you need while you are in the airport to prevent any need to stand up and move around during the flight itself.
Stay Six Feet Apart in the Airport
While the airplane is specially designed to ventilate properly, the airport is the same as any other building. You will need to keep a proper distance from other passengers, even if they are also wearing a mask. Avoid crowded restaurants or stores within the airport, and keep your distance from other travelers at the gate or any airport shuttles.
Don't Waste Time in the Airport
There are two types of travelers: those who like to get to the airport five hours before their flight and those who like to get there five minutes before their flight. If you are usually an early arrival, it might be best to arrive closer to the time of your flight this season. You want to minimize the time you spend indoors and in public, so the less time you spend in their airport, the better.
Pick Your Flight Carefully
You can pick the best flight possible by doing a little research beforehand. Check with the airline to see what COVID precautions they have in place. You can also select a direct flight to minimize layovers and, thus, time in an airport. Finally, most airlines let you pick your seat and give you information about what other seats are taken. You can select a place where there are no other passengers around you or choose an alternate flight if the first one you look at is full.
Pack and Use Hand Sanitizer Frequently
TSA changed its rules regarding hand sanitizers in carry-ons to allow each passenger one 12-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer on board with them. Take advantage of this new rule and bring your own sanitizer when you travel. You can make sure you are sanitizing your hands and the space around you as much as needed. You should use the sanitizer before and after going through security, before and after eating inside the airport, and when you sit down in your seat on the airplane. That is also an excellent time to sanitize your whole seat. The Travel Arm Guard also comes with free sanitizing wipes to boost your germ-killing power while traveling. Then slip the Travel Arm Guard over the armrest to provide protection from germs for the whole trip.
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Traveling during the pandemic can be worrisome, but it doesn’t have to be. Do a little research and be prepared, particularly with the Travel Arm Guard at your side. Travel shouldn’t be stressful. Travel Arm Guard protects you and your family from germs and gives you peace of mind in the air.