Travel has Changed Drastically Since the Initial Onset of COVID-19, Donald Dirren Discusses the Changes and More Below
The world has changed a great deal since March 16, 2020, when the U.S. government announced its proposed 15 days to slow the spread of COVID-19. While those initial 15 days turned into much longer for people across the United States, some things appear to be forever transformed due to COVID-19. Donald Dirren, an avid traveler, has noted some of the changes to travel that have occurred as a result of the pandemic and what these changes mean for people who travel frequently for business or for pleasure.
Before discussing specific changes, Donald Dirren encourages people to understand that the travel industry was hit particularly hard by the pandemic and subsequent shutdowns. This includes airlines, hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, entertainment venues, and even car rental companies. As things begin reopening and people begin traveling once again, albeit reluctantly thanks to the Delta variant bringing back to life what the nation had hoped were the dying embers of COVID-19, people are beginning to notice a few lingering changes to how we travel. They aren’t necessarily bad things. Just notable.
Paperless check-in options are something that is here to stay for airlines as well as car rental agencies. The convenience it offers is something travelers appreciation and it requires less interaction with employees and less risk of exposing yourself or others to COVID or any other illnesses lurking around. In light of subsequent labor shortages, these paperless kiosks are highly beneficial in helping to fill labor gaps as well.
Growing focus on hygiene. This is something that can’t be a bad thing. Travelers are using hand sanitizer, washing their hands, and paying greater attention to where they place their possessions. Donald Dirren suggests that no one wants to become a victim of cross-contamination, nor does anyone want to be responsible for bringing COVID-19 home to their loved ones.
On the downside of changes to travel since COVID is the fact that there are fewer flights available. That’s because fewer people are traveling. This means that airlines have consolidated their efforts, focusing on flights, times, and destinations that offer the greatest ROI. Many people who once had numerous daily flight options are now limited to specific times and even specific days of weeks for flights and return flights to and from key destinations.
Finally, it looks like face masks and price hikes are here to stay as airlines, hotels, bus lines, and trains seek to recoup their costs and prevent complete shutdowns in the future. Donald Dirren suggests that all the changes aren’t bad, but people should expect to roll with the punches as COVID-19 evolves and we see if travel changes further as a result.
