With the rise in the number of vaccinations, more people are making summer travel plans. A Maryland-based travel agent has a few tips for those flying domestically and points out changes at many hotels and motels.
Although COVID-19 forced airlines to ground many flights last year, things are changing.
“The airlines had cut way back on flight selection, a lot of planes were grounded. But that’s rapidly turning around. There’s more and more of what we call lift — seats in the air,” said Guido Adelfio, owner of Bethesda Travel Center.
For travelers concerned about crowded airports, Adelfio recommends using the airlines’ private lounges.
“Take the lounge pass, you may already have it if you’re a heavy frequent flyer … sit in the lounge, you’re going to have a comfortable time, more space,” he said.
To move swiftly through airport security, Adelfio suggests passengers enroll in the CLEAR program — the secure identity program that relies on your stored biometric data, such as fingerprint and iris identification.
“It gets you through TSA’s security check very quickly and with less chance of having to be in very close quarters with other people,” he said.
Hotels and motels have made major changes since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Some have added clear plastic screens at the check-in counter; many have added stringent new cleaning programs, including on touch surfaces, such as elevator buttons; and the dining experience may be different from what guests remember before pandemic restrictions.
“Some hotels, the breakfast room is just a packaged breakfast, cold. No more tray of eggs or buffets. These are major changes in the hospitality industry,” he said.
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