Traveling by Air - Is It Safe?
By Danielle Alexander
After the year we’ve all had, there’s nobody I know who couldn’t use a vacation. However, even with case numbers decreasing and coronavirus restrictions lifting, people are — understandably — still hesitant to travel, especially by plane. Debating whether or not it would be safe to take my own family on a long distance trip this spring or summer, I recently caught up with Noor Arafat of West Bloomfield’s Noor Travel and Tours, who said people should definitely book something.
Arafat, who’s been specializing in the planning of honeymoons and family trips since 2008, has been on vacation five times herself this last year, including going to California, Florida and Mexico. She said neither she nor her clients have yet to run into any issues, adding that the whole process has actually been really smooth.
“To me, traveling is very relaxing, something people need after a year of COVID, and I’ve been very impressed with how the travel industry is doing everything,” Arafat said. “Delta, for example, is still not booking to full capacity, allowing for social distancing by leaving the middle seat blocked, and all of my clients who have needed a COVID test to go and come back from certain places say it’s an easy process.”
Top 2021 Destinations
The majority of Arafat’s current clients are in the process of cashing in their vouchers from trips which were canceled last year and either rebooking them or finding a new location to travel to instead. When it comes to selecting a vacation destination, she said it really just depends on the people.
For example, if her clients are concerned about testing, Arafat recommends travel to Florida (specifically Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Key West this year) since a COVID test isn’t required, and it’s also an easy flight from Michigan.
“We wanted a quick flight to somewhere where it was hot, and we could be in bathing suits,” said Bloomfield Hills resident Edel Denha, who shared her family’s experience flying into Fort Lauderdale and staying at JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort and Spa on her Instagram account, @homewithedel. “Other than using sanitizer a lot and wearing masks inside, it didn’t feel like anything was different than traveling in past years.”
For couples and families who don’t mind getting tested, Arafat encourages a trip to Mexico. Her clients who have traveled there haven’t had any complaints and, in addition to loving the direct flight out of Detroit to Cancun, feel all of the hotels there are doing a great job accommodating people and making them feel safe.
Shelby Township resident Shannon Karana stayed at Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos in November, right before COVID tests were mandatory for incoming flights. She felt people in Mexico were just as cautious as we are here in Michigan: “Everything was super clean, and everyone there was so on top of things, much more than normal, so we felt safe. They want to protect themselves, too, and I actually think it keeps getting better as time goes on.”
No matter which destination you pick, Arafat added, “You have to keep in mind that any of these warmer-weather climates are great because even though you’ll have to wear your mask like we are already used to doing here, you’ll be spending the majority of your trip outdoors.”
Upon Return
Since there is a chance you might be exposed to COVID-19 on your travels and could pose a risk to your family, friends and community for up to 14 days after you return, the CDC does recommend getting tested three to five days after travel and staying home to self-quarantine for a full seven days; if you don’t get tested, the CDC encourages you to stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
“When you get back, you definitely have to stay away from the elderly community like grandparents and parents who are at a higher risk until you know for sure, but honestly that shouldn’t stop you from traveling,” said West Bloomfield resident Candice Pattah, who felt very safe during her travels to Mexico, Florida and other destinations this year.
“We all need to get out for our mental state of mind, especially now that we know the COVID risks are lower than we thought at the beginning of the pandemic and also for our economy, or we won’t have an economy anymore. Michigan restrictions are a lot stricter than other states, and when people start to feel that their freedom is being taken away, they will flee to states that have less restrictions to regain normalcy.”
Due to the seemingly ever-changing updates, once you book a trip, you should continue to periodically check your destination’s regulations, right up to your departure date. Flying can be both fun and safe this spring and summer, but you are ultimately responsible for your safety and the safety of your loved ones.