Amidst social distancing measures and non-essential travel being discouraged or even banned in some countries, economic and social activity is slowly ramping back up, and more as an increasing number of people are opting for airline travel.
In such instances, it is important to take necessary precautions and following established protocols to ensure safe travel not only for you but also for those around you.
Banishing the black sheep from the herd
Despite most people taking extreme measures like face masks, plastic gloves, and hand sanitizers, there will always be that one black sheep in the herd- that one guy on the subway who touches himself in full view of the blue-collar office-goers and horrified onlookers.
The same rule also applies to airline travel in these times; when it comes to airline travel, here are some of the mistakes being made by passengers currently, according to flight personnel.
Effective protection protocols
In most public places and especially in the airline industry, strict rules of personal protection equipment and protocols have been established which have led to fewer worrying incidents that could be a cause for concern when it comes to crew and passenger safety.
Wearing face masks when flying is now imperative, but according to airline crew, people are wearing masks incorrectly or lowering their masks during flight, both of which are mistakes to avoid.
For the mask to be effective, it should cover both your nose and mouth. Touching the mask with your hands could lead to contamination which could undermine its safety aspects and care should be taken to wear the mask from the point of boarding the plane to the moment you exit, with the only exception being when you are eating or drinking.
Practice proper hygiene
Another point of concern for airline staff is that despite most passengers taking proper measures of safety and protection, they fail to practice good hygiene during their travel.
According to flight attendants, it can be quite amusing (or alarming) to see people take extreme measures like wearing gloves and sanitizing the seats around them obsessively to avoid contamination, and yet not wash their hands after going to the toilet!
It can also be quite amusing to see people take excessive protection measures when boarding the plane but then proceed to change their seats multiple times during the flight or forgetting safety procedures altogether.