Flying the friendly skies in the age of Corona virus

I used to be a seasoned traveler, but in the age of Corona virus, all bets are off.

I took my first trans-Atlantic fight since this pandemic broke out, and it felt odd to be back in then skies.

My first leg was a European flight within Shengen. The Rome airport was eerily empty, and I’ve never flown through security so quickly, but the shops and airport were open for business as usual,

The Rome-Amsterdam flight I was on was packed, and there were no free seats left. Masks are worn throughout the flights, except during meal service.

The US leg of the flight was even more bizarre. The Amsterdam-Detroit flight was carrying so few passengers. I guess things still have to get up and running, Everything worked pretty well, and again masks were worn throughout the flight.

Customs was lightening speed with reduced passenger traffic, and visitors have to have their temperatures checked and provide information about their recent travel and final destination.

The layover in Detroit was odd, since almost all the shops and restaurants were closed in the late afternoon. It was the same when we got into Washington, DC in the early evening.

Jet lag, unfortunately, hasn’t changed in this new era, but for the rest, it’s good to see that travel life is beginning again, albeit slowly. Baby steps…