Due to the worldwide pandemic, COVID-19, proms, graduations, weddings, concerts, and various travel plans have been postponed or even canceled for the coming months. This has put a complete halt to travel plans on impending travel restrictions that have been popping up around the world. But what does this mean for the future of travel?
Currently, international borders are shutting for 30+ days and airlines are grounding flights and limiting what is left of viable flights. Various health officials around the world are pleading for everyone to stay home to “flatten the curve” to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Whether you are social distancing, self-quarantined, or under a stay a home order, you may be wondering when this will end and life will be back to normal. This includes the curiosity of when it will be safe and acceptable to travel again. With so much uncertainty about the pandemic and how the world will truly be impacted by its effects, there is no simple answer or solution. From here we can only plan on what the future may look like.
The Future of Travel
Figures from the Transportation Security Administration show that only 331,000 people passed through TSA checkpoints Monday, a drop of more than 2 million passengers, or 86%, compared to the same Monday a year ago. This has come after many states have started a ‘stay at home” order.
As we start to look and predict the new norm of travel, we can expect that travel restriction will last much longer than a few weeks or months than was originally predicted. This will be mainly for two different reasons; Reason 1 – Countries will want to protect their civilians and limit travel in and out; Reason 2 – People will be scared and unsure if it is safe for them and their families.
Research Now
Vacations and trips will now be more scheduled and thought out rather than a spur-of-the-moment idea. Social interactions will also look different by having fewer people and possibly easier access to more amenities. We are all longing to get back to normalcy and to creating the memories and moments that we may have missed out on during this time of uncertainty.
When it comes to ‘Should I book that summer trip?’ or ‘Will borders be open?’, there is no confirmed answer and the choice is up to you. If you are starting to plan that trip out, research all of your options. Many are now more concerned and intuned with our safety and health, and how travel can affect this.
This is where private aviation can solve problems. Maybe private travel is something that will be more welcoming and beneficial for your girls’ trip, romantic getaway, family vacation, or business trip. With fewer interactions with the masses in an airport, an FBO will be more inviting for those who are nervous about traveling still. This also will help with the number of people on a private plane. These will be passengers that are familiar and have less of a chance of getting sick due to the lack of traffic on a private jet compared to a commercial aircraft.
Preparing now for future travel will also help with the chaos and confusion when travel restrictions are lifted. Once the masses start seeking out flights for travel, prices will climb and seats will start dwindling making it harder to find the perfect flight for your trip.