Taking a flight during the Corona pandemic. (COVID-19)

How is flying since the outbreak of the Corona virus? I took a flight from Brussels to Berlin and found out!

Please note that these findings are personal experiences with Brussels Airlines and Brussels Airport, we can not guarantee that every airline/airport takes the same measures.

Is it safe to take a flight during the pandemic?

Nothing is 100% coronaproof, but a lot of strong measures were taken to make things as safe as possible, for example:

• All middle seats have to stay empty, so there is distance between passengers. (UPDATE: on another flight on 17-08-2020 this was no longer the case.)
• Mouth masks have to be worn troughout the whole flight.
• All planes are professionaly disinfected after every flight.
• The crew offers disinfecting spray when boarding the plane.
• Boarding and exiting the plane is organised by row to prevent congestion and keep distancing possible
• Airlines take extra measures to filter the air onboard, Brussels Airlines claims the air filtering is the same level as in an operation room.
• The crew offers you disinfecting wipes after takeoff.

What’s the impact of corona in the airport?

Not only the flight itself was different, some things in the airport are different too:

• Only people with a boarding pass are allowed to enter the airport.
• Passengers have to go through a temperature check before entering the terminal.
• Self check-in touchscreens are not in use, it is encouraged to check in online on your own device instead.
• Hand sanitizers are placed everywhere in the airport.
• Floor stickers and lines help with social distancing.

Did in-flight service change?

Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to order food or drinks on European flights. Duty-free shopping on flights has also been temporarily stopped.
Items like newspapers and magazines are no longer available.

Conclusion

Taking a flight during the Corona Pandemic is defenitely a very different experience than before.
Personally, I felt much safer on the plane than in any metro/tram/train.
The best way to protect yourself from corona is still by staying at home, but it feels like everything has been done to make flying as safe as possible.
Unfortunately, some of the comfort of flying is now gone. Ordering a good coffee and buying a duty free souvenir is no longer possible.
On the plus site though, the free middle seat is quite nice and the window views are still as stunning as before.