Officials want you to stay home for the holidays
As COVID-19 cases rise and state and local officials urge residents to stay home as much as possible, fewer people are expected to board planes, trains and buses ahead of Thanksgiving.
AAA forecasts that 2.48 million people in Illinois, and 50.6 million nationally, are expected to travel for the holiday, with most people driving. The number of travelers could fall further as consumers monitor rising case numbers, new travel restrictions and guidance from health officials, AAA said.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot asked residents to avoid nonessential travel and cancel traditional Thanksgiving plans, andsuburban Cook County followed up with a similar advisory Friday. Gov. J.B. Pritzker advised those choosing to travel to self-quarantine for two weeks before gathering.
Still, the desire to celebrate with family— even with a smaller group, orwithout a lengthy feast— could convince some who have been avoiding travel to make the trip.
If you’re considering here’s what to expect.
Planes
travel,
U.S. airline passenger numbers are down 65% compared with last year and planes are flying 54% full during the pastweek, according to the trade group Airlines for
America.
That doesn’t mean you’ll be surrounded by empty seats. Among major U.S. carriers, only Delta Air Lines has committed to keeping middle seats open through Jan. 6. Southwest Airlines is blocking middle seats through the end ofNovember.
United, Delta and American waived change fees to give travelers flexibility through the end of the year, and permanently eliminated the change fees for domestic tickets, except in basic economy.
All airlines require passengers to wear masks and say they are cleaning aircraft and areas like ticket counters and gates more frequently, using tools like electrostatic sprayers that spray a mist of disinfectant in hard-to-reach spots. Several airlines let travelers who have checked in online or downloaded the airline’s app to
drop off checked bags touch-free.
When boarding, airlines call up passengers in smaller groups to limit lines. Southwest, which doesn’t let passengers pick seats in advance, said families are generally able to find seats together, but if not, flight attendants will work to keep them together.
Food and beverage offerings are limited, and many airlines are sticking to packaged snacks and drinks, thoughsomehave started to introduce more options.
Dr. Emily Landon, head of infection prevention and control at the University of Chicago Medicine, recommends against eating or drinking while on board to avoid removing a mask while near others, and to consider wearing a face shield in addition to a mask.
A recent study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found the combination of precautions on planes, including air circulation and filtering systems and mask wearing, resulted in a low risk of the coronavirus spreading during flight. Most reports of in-flight transmission came before airlines implemented strict mask requirements, the study said.
A separate Defense Department study using a
mannequin that released particles found the way air circulates and is filtered on planes limits the the risk of exposure to the virus. The study assumed passengers wore masks throughout the flight, didn’t move around the cabin and that therewas one infected person on board.
Because passengers may notwear masks properly, or may lower masks to eat and drink, extra space, like an empty middle seat, can still matter, said Mercedes Carnethon, vice chair of the department of preventive medicine and a professor of epidemiologyatNorthwestern University’s Feinberg School ofMedicine.
Travelers also need to think about the rest of their trip, like the journey to, and through, the airport, experts said.
Trains
Amtrak is encouraging people not to wait until the last minute to book trips on the busiest holiday travel days because there will be fewer seats available.
Trains are running at 50% capacity to ensure each passenger can sit next to an empty seat, a policy Amtrak plans to keep into next year, spokesman Marc Magliari said. Many routes also have less frequent service. With business down about 75% because of the health crisis, most daily long-distance trains are operating about
three times aweek.
Travelers can see how full a train is before booking a ticket, and change fees have been waived through the end of the year.
Masks are required, except when a passenger is eating or drinking or in a private room with the door closed. People who refuse to comply after multiple warnings will be required to get off at the next stop, Magliari said.
Train windows don’t open, but the trains have filtration systems that circulate fresh air every four or five minutes, Magliari said.
Cafe cars temporarily are
offering only carryout service, and traditional dining car service has been suspended on all routes except theAutoTrain throughDec. 15, according to Amtrak’s website. Sleeping car customers can order room service.
Buses
Most Megabus riders book tickets within a week of travel, so it’s hard to predict how full buses will be, spokesman Sean Hughes said. Megabus guarantees every passenger will have an empty seat next to them through Jan. 6.
Greyhound has not set a capacity limit or guaranteed everyone will sit next to an empty seat, but will add buses to the schedule to help customers spreadout if certain buses start to fill, spokeswoman Crystal Booker said.
Both companies say they require passengers wear masks while riding, and Megabus says passengers who don’t comply can be barred from future travel. Drivers must wear masks when interacting with passengers, but not while driving and separated from passengers.
Greyhound said air on
buses is replaced with fresh outside air every five minutes. Megabus said it replaces air with fresh outside air every 10 minutes, filters air every two minutes, and is in the process of upgrading its filters.
Before you travel
Keri Althoff, associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, recommended researching the precautions airline, train and bus companies are taking and look for reviews from recent customers before booking.
“It will help you know what to expect and come prepared, or make a different decision,” she said.
If people choose to travel, Landon, the University of Chicago Medicine physician, recommends ensuring everyone limits contact with people outside their household for at least a week before meeting. Getting tested and taking all the right precautions during travelwon’t help if someone pickedupthe virus between the test and their departure.
“What you’re bringing to the table onThanksgiving is more than just wine or mashed potatoes, you’re bringing all the risk you’ve accumulated during the seven to 14 days before you showed up there,” she said.
lzumbach@chicagotribune.com