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Last week, I shared some of our family and friend’s recent travel experiences. Stress galore and lots of changed plans due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. If you didn’t have a chance to read those stories, here they are again.
Here is what we have learned through these moments of crisis. Hopefully, our lessons learned can help calm the stressful tidal waves of COVID travel in your life, allowing you to experience, once again, the fun and excitement of travel!
Lessons Learned:
1. Regularly check your travel itinerary on your airline’s website. Put in your reservation number and double check that your flights have not been cancelled or modified.
As I shared last week, this happened to us and to our friends on several occasions, and we were never notified by the airline. Flights and itineraries were either completely cancelled, or we were rerouted with long layovers (without our consent!). Much to our surprise, one time, we looked at our son’s itinerary to return to England, and they had him rerouted to arrive in a different city entirely. I guess they expected it would not be an inconvenience for him to pay to take a train from that airport to the city of his final destination!
If your flights are cancelled or changed, you have a right to ask for a free modification and or reimbursement. Airlines will often offer a voucher, but we recommend that you readily accept the offer for full reimbursement!
2. Check the airline’s change and cancellation policy. We have found Air France to be the most accommodating. They currently have in place a no change fee/no cancellation fee for flights—AND no questions asked. Other airlines, like British Airways, also allow you to change or cancel your flights free of charge. However, they do not offer reimbursement, but a travel voucher, valid until 2023.
3. If you are traveling with a pet, start planning early. Since COVID-19 hit, we have found that there are fewer and fewer airlines accepting in-cabin and in-cargo pets. We don’t know what pet travel has to do with the COVID restrictions, but in any case, it is more difficult than ever.
For us, traveling from Spain to the U.S. this summer, the only airline we found to accommodate our dog, Bernie, is Lufthansa. We have the option of in-cabin or in-cargo. American Airlines, Delta, and many other airlines are no longer taking pets . . . period. And as a reminder, if you are traveling internationally with a pet, avoid going through the UK at all costs. They have strict restrictions and a quarantine system that can lead to a “ROYAL” nightmare!
BEFORE booking your ticket, call the airline and make sure that they have room for your pet on those particular flights. Each flight has a maximum number of pets that can travel in-cabin and in-cargo. Your dog will need a reservation for travel, just like you. Prices range from $100-$300 for international pet travel (one-way only).
If you are traveling during the hot summer months, beware! After certain dates, like July 1, airlines can refuse to accept your pet if there is concern of hot temperatures upon departure or arrival. Find out their policy and check your dates/temperatures!
Also, check your pet’s passport and vaccination records ahead of time. Thankfully, I double checked Bernie’s passport a few weeks ago. I discovered that his rabies vaccination was expiring only a few days later. I had adequate time to get him up-to-date on all his shots, as well as to make an appointment for his travel medical check/certificate, required less than 10 days before travel.
If you are traveling to the US, double check your state’s requirements for pet entry from another country. They all vary!
Start early with making sure you have the right in-cabin or in-cargo pet carrier. Each airline has different max size requirements, and they are strict. Sometimes, airlines will actually measure and weigh your pet and their carrier, and charge you accordingly! Or . . . they will refuse for your pet to travel (and therefore, you too!)!
For more information on pet travel, see my other posts on this topic.
International Pet Travel—Part 1
International Pet Travel—Part 2
4. Find out the PCR entry requirements for both your destination cities and your TRANSIT cities. They all vary. Sometimes, you need a test taken within 3 days of DEPARTURE. Sometimes, you need a test taken with 48 hours of ARRIVAL. Sometimes, you need a PCR. Sometimes, a rapid antigen test will do. Book your PCR test appointments in advance and make sure that the test results are guaranteed within 24 hours. Give yourself some margin if the results don’t arrive within that time period. You don’t want to be checking in for your flight and, at the same time, frantically checking the laboratory website for your negative PCR test results!
Recently, my son was flying from Germany to the U.S. The night before traveling, he checked his results—last-minute! He discovered that they were in German. He needed to request them in English, but the lab was closed. While riding the train to the airport the next morning, he had to call the lab to have them send him the English “Travel Certificate” that he needed for check-in. He received the email with the document just in time. Tip: Give yourself plenty of time for unexpected surprises. Check your online results as soon as you can, so you can get any documents or make any data corrections that you need before you fly!
5. Check with your airline about any special COVID travel documents required by your airline and/or destination country. Each airline and country varies, but these documents need to be filled out in advance to avoid the extra stress at the airport.
Have all your travel documents and PCR test results in both digital and paper forms.
6. Ask your airline about any special face mask requirements. For example, some airlines, like KLM, are requiring the special FFP2 masks. Whichever ones you need, make sure that you have several extra ones with you, just in case you lose one or the stupid straps break!
7. Book your flights with a travel agent if you can. Our organization requires us to go through a humanitarian travel agent, and they have helped us so much! We have found that if you are only booking airline tickets, there is little extra cost to book through a travel agent. They can answer all your questions about travel requirements, airline change/cancellation policies, pet travel, documents needed, etc. The little bit of extra cost might be worth your mental health and peace of mind! Also, if you have problems, they will be your intermediary with the airline.
8. Give yourself extra time to check in. I am one of those who doesn’t like to go to the airport early. However, with all the restrictions and extra required documents, check-in definitely takes longer. Give yourself a good two hours (or more!) before your flight departure.
9. Get a good night’s sleep before your international travel day. Travel has always been stressful, but the COVID-19 pandemic has increased it hundredfold. If you are running low on restorative sleep, you won’t be ready to handle the stress of the long travel day. Remember to take care of yourself so you are better equipped to ride the stress waves of travel.
10. Get on board, relax, and don’t forget to breathe! Stress and anxiety cause us to hold our breath. When you feel your levels of stress and anxiety rising, stop and take 10 deep breaths. Once you have finally jumped through the hoops and over the hurdles, board the plane, take off your shoes (I always bring a pair of fuzzy, slipper socks!), put on your earphones, enjoy a good movie (or 2, or 3, or 4), read a good book, take a little snooze (if you can sleep in airplanes), eat some mediocre airplane food, relax with a nice glass of wine or champagne, and enjoy the ride.
And did I say . . . after riding all those COVID stress waves of travel, pray that the air waves are smooth and calm too. Oh yes, turbulence is another story!
Let’s Weave Cultures!
Have you traveled during the COVID-19 pandemic? What lessons have your learned that you could share with us?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures!” Write about them in the comment box below.
