Although we are normally frequent flyers, this was our first flight since the COVID 19 pandemic has changed the face of travel. In a word how was the experience? Pleasant. This was one of the most relaxing round trip flights we have taken.

We departed from Newark and flew into Orlando. Upon arrival at the Newark airport we parked in the economy lot. There was no lack of spaces near the shuttle stop. The shuttle busses are still running at the same regular intervals, and within a few minutes we were boarding the shuttle for the airport. The driver was wearing a mask and opened the rear doors so we didn’t have to walk by him when we entered the bus. We were the only ones on the shuttle bus so no problems social distancing there.

The TSA line was short, and people were keeping a six foot space between parties. The line snaked back and forth and although there was a six foot space in front of and behind us, there were times when someone would be close to our left or right. Luckily, all travelers were compliant with the mask requirements. This was probably the biggest safety miss on our week long trip.

The terminals were fairly empty and many of the shops were closed. It was easy to stay socially distant from others while waiting to board.

We choose to fly on Jet Blue because they are one of the carriers that have committed to keeping middle seats empty through at least October 15th. Currently, Jet Blue is boarding from back to front to limit the amount of traffic past seated passengers. With fewer passengers and a streamlined boarding process there was no worry about overhead bin space and no rush to get on the plane first. It was quite pleasant. As we boarded, we were provided a safety pack that had antibacterial wipes and hand gel in it. The in flight snacks consist of individual plastic bags that have a bottled water and a few snack packs. Upon landing, the flight attendants asked that everyone stay seated while each row from front to back stood, retrieved their luggage and deplaned.
Our return flight was similar. The only differences were the TSA line was set up better to allow for side to side space as well, and we were not provided with the safety kit while boarding.

Did we feel safe? Yes. Will we fly again during the pandemic? Yes, but only on an airline that has policies to make socially distancing possible while flying. Not all airlines have the same policies, and we recommend you do you research before booking.