Cautious travelers bound for magic
The decision to travel by plane to our vacation destination during a pandemic was not a decision we took lightly. We struggled with our desire for a family vacation after a year of social distancing as best we could, and in the end decided life is short and a Walt Disney trip was the medicine we all needed. In January, we booked our trip including flights from Green Bay to Orlando. I was surprised that flights were near full and prices had doubled from the prior year. I guess those airlines are making up for loss times. I was eased by the knowledge that the airlines are providing a worry free cancellation policy. Cancellations made 24 hours in advance to the departure time will gain a full refund to avoid passengers from forcing a trip out of fear of losing the funds paid for the flight regardless of possible poor health. Great policy, and I hope they keep it. It not only gave me peace of mind that if we fall ill prior to our trip, we can cancel and gain a refund, but others can do the same. It was icing on the cake to find that Disney World followed the same policy.
Traveling with United Airlines
We booked a flight over Travelocity in 2020 with United. It was the cheapest option with the best flight times to accommodate our family at the time. Since our trip was canceled due to COVID, United provided a voucher that must be used within two years of the cancellation date. So, for this trip, we were forced to travel with United so that we could use up those vouchers.
A few days prior to our flight, I began gaining regular updates regarding our flight. I was informed that our flight was expected to be full and if I would like to make other arrangements to avoid boarding a full plane, the option was available to me at no risk/no fees. That was cool! I continued to gain notifications of the flight status to inform me that the flight was not expected to experience a delay as well as a notice that it was encouraged that I check in 24 hours prior to the flight to avoid long lines at check in. We took advantage of that option and checked our bags right away so that we just had to drop them off and proceed to security. Nice and easy.
Prior to boarding the flight, each of us were screened for temperature checks. The passengers were boarding with handicap and active military first followed by passengers seated at the rear of the plane to the front. It worked well! Stewardess passed out sanitary wipes as we entered the plane. One for each passenger, but they would definitely provide more if asked. The plane was sprayed with a high-grade disinfectant on the surfaces prior to boarding new passengers. Read more here.
While this is all nice and dandy, we did find gum shoved between the seats and had to cover with a baggie we had on hand. The sanitation wipes were used to wipe the surfaces in our area. One wipe was not enough, so we used the extras we asked for as well as wipes we brought in our carry on bag (I recommend bringing them).
Masks are required in the airports and on the plane at all time with exception to the few seconds it takes to take a sip of fluids or place some food in your mouth. You are expected to chew with the mask covering your mouth and nose. Passengers were reminded from time to time to wear the mask properly; however, I believe it depended greatly on the expectations of the passengers around us as well as the stewardess attention to detail. Kids under two are not required to wear a mask.
The airlines will pass out a snack box or small bag to each passenger. Each box/bag had a bag of pretzels, cookies, 8.5 oz water bottle and a wet wipe. After this was passed out, the stewardess traveled back with a cart of fluids, such as: water, juice, soda, and coffee. Alcohol was not permitted on any flights. Save it for the hotel room after the kids pass out.
Travel by plane with toddlers
Our kids are three and five, and they have flown on planes before. I have to say, each time we fly, it gets easier. Maybe it’s the age or maybe the familiarity of flying. Traveling during a pandemic was slightly different than traveling in the past. Thank goodness our kids are not phased by wearing masks. They wear masks all day at school, and often remind us that a mask must be worn before entering facilities; Adam and I work from home and are not used to wearing masks for over an hour at a time.
We selected seats closer to the back of the plane because it was the only available seats at the time that were the closest to the restroom. With toddlers in tow, it is important to be near the restroom. Kids, at least my kids, don’t always give us advance notice that a potty break is needed. We also booked seats along the aisle to make sure we do not have to wake another passenger up to use the restroom.
What to pack in your carry on bag
Each child had a small backpack with food, entertainment and toiletries for the flight. Not only did this help mom and dad with packing a little lighter. But it also gave the kids a sense of ownership over their own items during our trip. In each backpack I packed snacks, a water bottle with a lid (kids like to drop things and I want to make sure the mouth piece remains clean), mess free coloring books, kleenex, sanitary wipes, an extra mask, amazon tablet, headphones and more snacks. A hungry kid is a cranky kid.
Safe Travels
If you choose to travel by plane this year, I wish you safe travels and pack extra sanitary wipes with you. Sure, the airlines are taking measure to make your flight as safe and worry free as possible, but things are missed, such as gum in the seats or surfaces that look like they are in need of some deep cleaning. I am a bit of a clean freak when it comes to my home and public places.
After boarding four planes and spending a week at Walt Disney World, our family returned home safe and healthy. We have been home for a week and a half and still healthy with no signs of ill health. I wish the same for you if you choose to travel this year.
Safe travels to you and yours and please share your experiences with traveling by plane during the pandemic in the comments section below.