COVID- 19 MEASURES

WHAT TO PACK

■ BRING A MASK: Masks are required in the airport and on Delta, Southwest and other major airlines.

For a multiday trip, bring an extra mask or two in case you lose one, or cough or sneeze into one. The airport will provide a free mask on request at the main security checkpoint if you forget yours. Delta, the largest carrier at Hartsfield- Jackson, is offering customer care kits including a hand sanitizer wipe and mask.

■ The Transportation Security Administration now allows extra flexibility for hand sanitizer, permitting one bottle of up to 12 oz. of hand sanitizer per passenger in carry- on bags. You will need to allow extra time at security screening for the bottle to be screened separately, since it’s larger than the typical limit of 3.4 oz. on other liquids.

■ You can also bring disinfecting wipes in carry- on bags to wipe down surfaces in the airport or on the plane, if desired.

■ Hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes are also permitted in checked bags.

AT THE AIRPORT

Hartsfield- Jackson may look different than you’re used to, due to the addition of plexiglass dividers, social distancing markers and some closed concessions amid the pandemic.

■ The airport has hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the terminal. Officials say public areas of the airport are being cleaned more frequently. Concessionaires and airlines have added more touchless options.

■ Due to the reduction in flights, the north arm of Concourse C is closed, while other terminals and concourses remain open.

CONCESSIONS

■ Some restaurants and shops at the airport remain closed, and airlines have significantly cut back their in- flight service amid the pandemic. So consider bringing snacks or food for your trip, while keeping in mind the limits on liquids.

■ Hartsfield- Jackson has information on its website on which concessions are open.

■ If you plan to buy food in the domestic terminal before going through security, be aware that you cannot bring liquids of more than 3.4 oz. through the security checkpoint and officers may ask travelers to separate some food from carry- ons for screening in X- ray machines.

■ In the domestic terminal atrium, Starbucks, Popeyes, Burger King, TGI Fridays, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels and Piedmont Park Travelmart are open. Still closed are Atlanta Chophouse,

IHOP, Shane’s Rib Shack and Teriyaki Experience.

■ While you can’t bring beverages through screening, you can bring an empty water bottle from home and fill it up at filling stations on the concourses, or if there are concessions open near your gate you can buy a beverage there after passing through security.

IN THE AIR

■ MASKS: Delta, Southwest, American, United, Spirit, Frontier and other carriers require passengers to wear masks. The major airlines are banning passengers who refuse to comply. If you are put on a no- fly list due to not wearing a mask on the plane, it could jeopardize your ability to get on a connecting flight or take your return flight back home.

■ MIDDLE SEATS: Atlanta- based Delta Air Lines is blocking middle seats on its planes through the holidays and through March 30, 2021. It is capping seating on its planes at 75% capacity in the main cabin, however that doesn’t necessarily guarantee passengers will have an empty seat next to them.

That’s because not all airplanes have middle seats. On smaller aircraft like Delta Connection regional jets with two seats on each side of the aisle per row, passengers could still be seated directly next to a stranger. Delta says it will block “select aisle seats” on those aircraft.

Southwest Airlines, the second- largest carrier in Atlanta, is blocking middle seats through Nov. 30. Alaska Airlines is blocking middle seats until Jan. 6.

United, American and other airlines are not blocking middle seats.

■ CABIN ENVIRONMENT: Airlines have touted the role of HEPA filters and vertical air flows that limit the spread of particles among passengers on a plane, as well as their addition of electrostatic disinfectant spraying in the cabin.

The airline industry commissioned a Harvard study that said mask requirements, constant ventilation and air flow, regular cleaning and sanitizing of airplanes contribute to reduced risk of coronavirus transmission on aircraft. There have been studies of transmission onboard planes, mainly prior to mask requirements. The Harvard study said “the research to date indicates a relatively low risk of acquiring SARS- COV- 2 ( coronavirus) while flying.”

Delta now boards its planes from back to front, in an attempt to minimize crowding in the aisles. Passengers should try to ensure they allow for social distancing while boarding and deplaning.