Changes in the sky
Not only has COVID-19 altered the way we live, it has also changed the way we travel – particularly on planes. The persistent fear of the lingering pandemic has also taken air and some of the services travelers received prior to the Coronavirus will no longer be there when on board and in mid-air. Travel has definitely changed - so has the expectations of travelers.
The most striking difference as one enters the plane is to see everyone wearing a mask. Thanks to the virus, flight attendants will be masked – rightly so for protecting every passenger. This means that no longer will flight attendants have to flash their pearly white teeth – be it, when greeting those embarking or disembarking or even to reassure anxious fliers when encountering turbulence in flight.
Throughout the pandemic, face masks have remained mandatory on modes of transportation, including on board planes and trains, and inside airports. That regulation as well as several other, is set to last for a longtime. The very nature of their jobs requires flight attendants to be on the front lines in the sky and they will now need to abide by a totally new set of rules. This in turn, would require passengers to adapt to them as well.
A part of the instructions flight attendants make during the ‘safety drill’ prior to every flight, is to request passengers to put on their seat belts, whenever the pilot activates the ‘seat belts on’ sign.Those who have flown regularly before COVID-19 know that a good many passengers never do it, and have to be reminded by the crew – even speaking to passengers sternly for ignoring it despite multiple requests.
Now, the bad news for such recalcitrant passengers is that flight attendants have the weight of the government behind them to ensure strict compliance, as passengers who resist masks in flight could be banned from a plane and charged a hefty fine.
Apart from the above, be prepared for the following:-
Not receiving water in those transparent plastic cups – particularly on shorter flights. So, make sure you refill that reusable water bottle before boarding. Some airlines may hand over a sealed bag containing a snack, small bottle of water and a single-use hand sanitizer during the boarding process. Others may hand over a bag of pretzels, cookies or mixed nuts when getting on-board. Be warned though – every airline is not offering these! American Airlines for example has eliminated in-flight service unless you can spend on 1st class travel. So, best take some food of your own, even an energy bar rather end up ‘fasting’ for 3-4 hours. Remember, the whole idea is to minimise interactions between flight attendants’ and passengers.
Other ‘nos’ include doing away with handing over embarkation forms to fill and pens to share. No more walking the aisle by flight attendants merchandising ‘duty free’ items and having to put one’s signature on credit card slips / machines when making payment.
Mothers who fly with toddlers; no longer will a flight attendant be around providing hands on attention to relieve a ‘tired’ mom for a few minutes.
COVID-19 has taken out whatever fun there was in flying.
Hospitality Sri Lanka News
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