I recently took my first international trip since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, to check out the new safety and sanitary procedures in place at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun for TravelAge West Magazine. Traveling during the pandemic is a very different experience, as I’ve noted in my previous post, What I Learned While Flying During the Pandemic, and What You Need to Know. Here’s what it’s like to fly to Mexico today.
The Flight: American Airlines Boeing 737, New York-JFK to Cancun
The Departure: The airport experience is quite different at the American Airlines terminal 7 at JFK airport now, compared to pre-COVID days. All passengers and staff are required to use masks at all times, for one. My personal safety practices go a bit further: when I fly now, I wear a face mask, disposable gloves and a face shield, which protects my eyes. I realize that these additional items are not required and some may say they’re not necessary, but in times like these it’s important that every traveler do what makes them personally feel comfortable and safe (and it certainly doesn’t hurt).
Very few people were checking in at the kiosks and lines. I’d already checked in via the app and had an electronic boarding pass; I attempted to get a paper boarding pass anyway because I’m always paranoid about using battery power on my cell. But the kiosk was unable to process my request and said I needed to see an agent, so I skipped that and went straight to the security area with my electronic boarding pass. There was no dedicated TSA PreCheck line so I had to go through the regular line, but it was short and I only waited about five minutes; plus, they allowed me to go through the scanner that didn’t require me to remove my shoes or non-metallic items from my pocket (I did have to remove my laptop, however).
Boarding for the American Airlines flight to Cancun was by group number and happened quickly. The plane was about 60 to 70 percent full, I’d guess, and luckily I was able to move and get three seats to myself (American doesn’t guarantee empty middle seats).
During the boarding process, flight attendants gave each passenger a small bag with a tiny bottle of water, a Biscoff cookie and a small packet of hand sanitizer. I used the wipes that I had brought to clean all the high-touch areas around my seat: the armrest, reclining button, seat belt, call button and light control.
Inflight Service: Masks are required of passengers and staff at all times. A flight attendant made an announcement at the beginning of the flight that there would be no inflight beverage or snack service but if anyone needed a drink they could ring the call button. (If there’s one thing I’ve learned while flying during the pandemic, it’s not to expect consistency of inflight service; every one of the three flights I’ve flown on American over the past month had a different approach to what they provided on board).
When I went to the back of the plane to use the bathroom, I noticed that they did leave out a tray of cups with water and orange juice, which was a nice touch. Inflight entertainment was available only via the American Airlines app on our personal devices; the aircraft had no video screens.
The Arrival: We landed early in Cancun, and since the usual terminal that American Airlines uses was closed indefinitely due to decreased traffic during the coronavirus pandemic, the aircraft docked at Terminal 1. The experience was the fastest I’ve ever had at the Cancun airport — about a 7-minute wait for immigration. They take a temperature reading on all passengers using what I believe is biothermic monitors as you walk toward the baggage claim (you may not even notice if you aren’t paying attention; you don’t need to stop for it, although there was a person wearing an impressive-looking biohazard outfit standing nearby). There was no additional form required related to COVID-19 and no testing required. Customs had no line at all and the crowds outside the airport were miniscule, making it easy for me to find my transfer to the hotel.
Travel today is a very personal decision and now is not the time for everyone to hit the road. I’d love to hear your questions and concerns — and your own personal travel experiences if you’ve traveled during the pandemic. Feel free to contact me and follow me on Instagram.