There’s no question that we have entered into a new era of flying. Despite signs of the pandemic slowing across the country, the airline industry has been significantly altered today and we will likely feel the effects far into the future.
The last time we got a glimpse of this scenario was just after 9/11. Quickly we saw the creation and growth of new security measures and airport norms. Huge increases in security personnel, long lines to reach the gate area, and the inability to bring a full-sized tube of toothpaste in your carry-on bag.
However, things are quite different from the last time we saw adjustments to how we travel in the air. Protection and safety are not about a shielding the public from physical targets such as terrorists or wrong doers, but rather an invisible enemy that is harder to identify and contain. COVID-19 has painted a new picture of air travel today and lends some insight into what the future of flying may look like even after the virus has passed.
By taking a look at the current precautions and adjustments that airlines are making you’ll know exactly what to expect if you plan to fly in the next couple months and gain insight on what’s likely to stick around for good and become the new travel norm.
Food and Drink
While airlines have never been known for providing particularly notable food and beverage options, you could at least count on having some options. However, that’s changing fast in an effort to avoid more contact opportunities and possible transmission.
Most airlines have limited their beverages to simple bottled waters and have nixed soft drinks as well as alcohol. The reduction of mixing drinks and providing ice should reduce the possibility of transmission but will certainly hinder a flier’s experience and lead to fewer first class or economy plus upgrades as the value proposition is significantly reduced.
As far as food is concerned, there are changes there as well. Airlines are only serving prepackaged meals and snacks and are also encouraging travelers to bring their own food. For many, this will not be much of a departure from the norm, but once again, it will affect premium cabins by offering lower quality foods and value for the money.
While I would predict that food and beverage is one area of air travel that is likely to return to normal post pandemic, most questions revolve around how long we’ll have to wait and how the airlines will react to the financial losses associated with these decisions. Airlines make a considerable portion of their revenue from seat and cabin upgrades. With fewer benefits of such upgrades and no reduction in pricing, there will be collateral damage.
Safety Precautions
Whether or not you agree with wearing a mask, you are quickly losing the opportunity to have a choice in the matter. As of now, almost all airlines and airports are requiring passengers to wear a mask while traveling. Additionally, flight attendants are also being required to wear them as well.
Other safety precautions being taken to reduce virus transmission include better plan disinfecting protocols such as deep cleaning everyday and additional cleaning between flights. This used to be standard practice many years ago but fell out of popularity when airlines started flying more routes with less time in between. I for one am happy to see this return and expect it to stick for years to come as health and sanitation are now top of mind for most.
There have also been reports of some flight attendants handing out cleaning wipes to passengers that request them to clean their seat and immediate area which is admittedly now more basic with the removal of all magazines and other items from seatbacks.
One thing is for sure, customers will be demanding cleaner planes and more sanitary practices prior to returning to pre-COVID travel levels.
Comfort and Convenience
Most travelers would not typically classify air travel as comfortable, but it certainly is convenient when it comes to getting people to their desired destination quickly. However, COVID-19 has inflicted some serious damage on the airlines that led to policies and protocols that will likely make passengers more comfortable.
One such practice is the blocking of middle seats. Many airlines including Delta, American, and United are preventing passengers from being able to book middle seats in an effort to provide some social distancing (there is an exception for parties that are traveling together and prefer adjacent seats). This is a stark contrast from previous days of flying where the goal for airlines has been to pack everyone together as tightly as possible. While I certainly don’t expect this practice to continue in the future, it will be nice while it can be enjoyed.
There are some new policies now in place that are potentially negative for passengers and could reduce comfort and convenience. For one, most airlines have closed their airport lounges or significantly reduced their food and beverage options. This reduces the potential value of having access to these lounges and makes them a bit less glamorous.
Plane-specific reductions of comfort and convenience also include the removal of in-flight pillows and blankets and potentially flying fewer planes with TVs in the headrest. All these items present opportunities or surfaces for virus transmission. I do believe that these items will return shortly, and that pillows and blankets will be package-sealed to minimize any danger.
Pricing and Change/Cancellation Policies
While pricing for flights has always been dynamic, what we’re seeing right now is completely all over the board. From bottom dollar fares being plentiful just a month or two ago to some flights being double what they were pre-COVID, there are certainly fluctuations all over the map. Throughout all this volatility, however, there have been two benefits that have emerged as a silver lining.
First, award availability is wide open. That means if you’ve been stacking points, then you stand to get countless good deals. This increased availability even includes destinations like French Polynesia or Hawaii that were once hard to obtain. Not to mention, points are the best way to book travel during a period of uncertainty since the rules are often more flexible when it comes to cancellation.
The second benefit is that airlines are quickly having to shift and re-define their flight change and cancellation policies. With all of them bleeding cash and needing bookings, it would seem that the traveler finally has a little bit of clout and I’m not sure that’s going to change anytime soon. Full blown refunds, however, can still be a bit tough to come by, but as we gain more certainty with the virus and other countries’ restrictions, getting all your money back won’t be as necessary.
So, what does the future hold? Will airline still be in a bind and forced to bend to the consumer?
I think it’s likely going to take a couple years for air travel to reach pre-COVID levels. That means that airfare will be on average cheaper for probably a year or a bit longer. Award availability will continue to be strong as planes will fly below max capacity and airlines need to improve their balance sheet anyway that they can. Finally, I think more relaxed change/cancellation policies are here to stay. Airlines need passengers more than the other way around and it’s a huge win in making flying more customer friendly.
Conclusion
The world has been fundamentally changed by the COVID-19 outbreak and the airline industry may possibly be the most affected. Flying today is already much different than it was 3 months ago, and it will change even more in the future. Temporarily, some of the changes may seem inconvenient, but it’s likely that some of the enjoyable aspects of air travel will return, and when combined with the recent customer friendly policies that have been employed, there will be a net positive effect.
