Your First Trip Since the Pandemic
Everyone looks forward to a holiday, whether you are a previous frequent flyer or just took the odd trip abroad there is something special about being able to turn up at the airport and the next ground you step onto being international soil. The freedom to travel is an important part of our lives, even if we only get away for a week or two of the year.
When the pandemic struck and grounded planes and closed borders all over the world, many of us missed out on our regular holidays though this was often the least of our worries. As the future of travel began to look uncertain, the introduction of a vaccine made it possible to start a cautious reopening of the industry - international holidays were back on the table.
If you are planning your first trip abroad since before the events of 2022 and are nervous, please be reassured that health and safety measures are still in place to various degrees to protect travellers. Yes there have been some necessary changes to the ways we travel by plane, and these have caused some teething issues, but the market is set to make a strong recovery in relatively little time.
Changes to security at airports
Airport security procedures have been largely unchanged, though in many places it is either a legal requirement or a strong recommendation that travellers should take a covid test at a certain point before they travel.
You should use your common sense and only travel if you are vaccinated or have proof of a negative test, and can feel free to use measures such as mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing.
Some extra procedures and issues such as staff shortages have meant that many travellers are facing delays at the airport, so if you want to make sure you don’t miss your flight, give yourselves a few extra hours and anticipate delays at check-in or security.
Changes in getting to the airport
Something that is often overlooked post-covid is how the way we travel to the airport has changed. Many people still prefer to drive and will go through the procedure of booking Stansted Airport parking and using a park and ride or valet service. This is convenient for many and means that travel is relatively safe.
Many others will use public transport to get to and from the airport and since covid, services are starting to get back to normal and are not disrupted for the most part. Taxis are also popular and many still have their covid-era protective screens in place.
Entry restrictions and requirements
As the pandemic was a global event, different countries have obviously been given jurisdiction over their entry restrictions and requirements for tourists. In places that require visa entry, it is common to see that an extra stipulation has been added to the visa terms.
These additional restrictions usually involve the vaccination status of the traveller and proof of a negative test. Of course, some destinations have completely scrapped their previously strict entry terms and it is now possible to travel to these countries without restriction.
Things can be a little complicated, and even now some countries are liable to change their restrictions to manage conditions on the ground. The best thing to do if you are planning a trip is to carefully research whether your planned destination has any restrictions for tourists and whether you need to do anything extra like booking covid tests or getting proof of your vaccination status.
Destination choice
As holiday destinations reopen and the streets and beaches begin to flood with tourists once more, it is important to note that some countries have only recently come out of strict covid restrictions such as lockdowns, and many still mandate measures such as mask wearing and social distancing.
Please find out what the latest covid measures are in your chosen destination, because you might find that there are still restrictions such as public mask wearing in place and this may influence your choice of destination. If you plan to travel to a country that is still using covid measures then you need to make sure you are willing to respect those restrictions.
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