THIS MORNING A RISK CHECKLIST.
WHAT YOU SHOULD ASK AND DO
BEFORE YOU TAKE OFF.
FLYING CAN BE MORE UNPREDICTABLE
THAN EVER.
NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENTS
REPORTING FROM AIRPORTS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY SHARE WHAT’S
HAPPENING.
>> I WAS GOING TO GET A BITE TO
EAT, BUT A LOT OF PLACES ARE
STILL CLOSED RIGHT NOW.
>> SOME AIRLINES ARE MAKING SURE
THAT EVERYONE IS SOCIALLY
DISTANCED WHILE OTHERS ARE
PRETTY MUCH PACKING A FULL
FLIGHT.
>> PEOPLE WEAR MASKS FOR THE
MOST PART AND KEEPING DISTANCE
AS YOU CAN SEE OVER MY SHOULDER.
>> WE ARE OFFICIALLY ON OUR
FLIGHT.
THE WAY WE GET OUR SNACKS HAVE
ALSO CHANGED.
>> Reporter: AAA ESTIMATES 15
MILLION PEOPLE WILL FLY THIS
SUMMER.
DOWN 74% FROM LAST YEAR.
AS TRAVELERS SLOWLY RETURN TO
AIRPORTS, HOW CAN YOU REDUCE
RISK?
I ASKED DR. HENRY WOO, DIRECTOR
OF EMORY UNIVERSITY’S TRAVEL
WELLNESS CENTER.
WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE WHEN IT COMES
SPECIFICALLY TO FLYING AND AIR
TRAVEL?
>> WE’RE STILL IN THE PHASE
WHERE TRAVELERS NEED TO LOOK
CAREFULLY AT THEIR REASONS FOR
TRAVEL AND NOT TRAVEL UNLESS
IT’S VERY URGENT.
>> Reporter: DR. WOO HAS TREATED
PATIENT WHO IS HE BELIEVES
CONTRACTED CORONAVIRUS WHILE
FLYING.
AND OTHERS WHO MAY HAVE
UNKNOWINGLY SPREAD THE VIRUS
DURING AIR TRAVEL.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO FLY,
CONSIDER THIS RISK CHECKLIST.
YOUR DESTINATION, IS IT A HOT
SPOT?
AND DO PEOPLE THERE WEAR MASKS
RECOMMENDED BY THE CDC?
WHERE WILL YOU STAY?
WHO WILL YOU INTERACT WITH?
AND WHAT’S YOUR PLAN IF YOU OR
SOMEONE IN YOUR GROUP TEST
POSITIVE.
IF YOU DECIDE TO FLY, BE SURE TO
PLAN AHEAD.
WEAR CLOTHES WITH A LOT OF
POCKETS.
YOU WANT ROOM TO STASH THOSE
SNACKS, AND OF COURSE KEEP A
POCKET OPEN FOR YOUR ID AND YOUR
PHONE FOR QUICK ACCESS.
AND DON’T FORGET TO BRING EXTRA
MASKS.
REMEMBER, TSA IS NOW ALLOWING UP
TO 12 OUNCES OF HAND SANITIZER
PER PERSON.
SO EVEN A BIG BOTTLE LIKE THIS
IS ALLOWED.
AND YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR
DISINFECTANT WIPES IN AN OUTSIDE
POCKET SO THEY’RE EASY TO GET
TO.
I ALSO LIKE THESE LITTLE BOTTLES
OF HAND SANITIZER YOU CAN CLIP
ONTO A BELT LOOP OR YOUR BAG FOR
EASY ACCESS.
AND CONSIDER PUTTING YOUR KIDS
IN CLOTHES THAT HAVE POCKETS
TOO.
REMIND THEM TO PUT THEIR HANDS
IN THEIR POCKETS AND NOT TO
TOUCH ANYTHING WHEN THEY GET TO
THE AIRPORT OR ON THE PLANE.
GOT IT?
>> GOT IT.
>> Reporter: AT THE AIRPORT,
MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING OF AT
LEAST SIX FEET FROM OTHERS.
ONE OF OUR PRODUCERS SHOT THIS
VIDEO AT THE DENVER AIRPORT
SHOWING PASSENGERS CROWDED
TOGETHER AT CHECK IN.
BUT AT NEW YORK’S LA GUARDIA
AIRPORT, I HAD PLENTY OF SPACE
IN THE SECURITY LINE.
YOU MAY NOTICE ALSO A LOT OF
RESTAURANTS ARE CLOSED.
THAT’S WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO
PACK YOUR OWN FOOD.
KEEP IN MIND THE RESTAURANTS
THAT ARE OPEN WILL PROBABLY BE
LIMITED AND YOU MAY HAVE TO WAIT
IN SUPER LONG LINES.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER TIP, USE
THE BATHROOM BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT
ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE TRAVELING
WITH KIDS SO NO ONE HAS TO LEAVE
THEIR SEATS DURING THE FLIGHT.
ONCE ON BOARD, WIPE DOWN ALL THE
SURFACES YOU MIGHT TOUCH
INCLUDING THE TRAY, THE SCREEN,
AND THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE.
AS FOR YOUR SEAT, IS THERE ONE
THAT’S CONSIDERED SAFEST?
DR. WOO SAYS CHOOSE A WINDOW
SEAT BECAUSE YOU’RE LESS LIKELY
TO COME IN CONTACT WITH
PASSENGERS AND CREW WALKING THE
AISLE.
WHAT ABOUT BREATHING THE AIR IN
AN AIRPLANE CABIN?
>> THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT MODERN
AIRCRAFT HAVE VERY EFFICIENT AND
EFFECTIVE AIR FILTRATION
SYSTEMS.
THAT, HOWEVER, DOES NOT
ELIMINATE THE RISK OF SOMEONE
IMMEDIATELY AROUND YOU.
>> Reporter: WASH YOUR HANDS
WITH SOAP AND WATER ONCE YOU
LAND.
AND KEEP THAT MASK ON UNTIL
YOU’RE OUT OF THE AIRPORT.
PART OF THE NEW NORMAL TO REDUCE
YOUR RISK OF GETTING SICK.
>> AND IF YOU ARE WONDERING
WHETHER TO WEAR GOGGLES OR A
FACE SHIELD NOIGS YOUR MASK,
THERE’S NO DEFINITIVE ANSWER BUT
NOT A BAD IDEA TO PLAY IT SAFE
AND WEAR IT.
>> IS THERE ANYTHING CONSUMERS
CAN DO TO REDUCE THEIR RISK?
I MISS MY GRANDPARENTS.
I MISS MY FAMILY.
I WANT TO GO HOME.
I THINK MY FEAR IS I DO ALL OF
THOSE THINGS BUT WHEN I GET HOME
AND SEE MY OLDER FAMILY MEMBERS,
I DON’T KNOW IF I DID IT THE
RIGHT WAY.
AND I DON’T HAVE TWO WEEKS TO
STAY AT HOME.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
>> ONE THING YOU CAN DO IF
YOU’RE GOING SOMEWHERE, BOOK A
NONSTOP FLIGHT.
SOMETIMES IT’S MORE EXPENSIVE,
BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT TWO
FLIGHTS MEANS YOU’RE EXPOSING
YOURSELF TO AN ENTIRE SECOND
GROUP OF PEOPLE, ESSENTIALLY
DOUBLING YOUR EXPOSURE.
NOT TO MENTION THE LAYOVER IN
THE OTHER AIRPORT.
TAKE A FLIGHT THAT GOES TO AND
FROM "A" TO "B."
>> IT FEELS LIKE AN ETERNITY
SINCE I’VE BEEN ON A PLANE.
>> SOME ESTIMATES SAY WE WILL
NOT GET BACK TO NORMAL TRAVEL
UNTIL 2042 BECAUSE OF BUSINESS
TRAVEL HAVING TO INCREASE AGAIN.