Norwalk Islands Holidays

The COVID-19 outbreak may have changed the way we travel, but it hasn't stopped our eagerness for exploring. Here are a few tips on how to deal with the new challenges of travelling:

• Find out if any travel restrictions apply to your destination and origin before committing to a flight. Also check if there are any special conditions you'll have to follow on arrival, such as installing a contact tracing app.
• Requirements state you must wear a face mask throughout your travel experience, even at screening checkpoints. You should be prepared to lower your mask for ID verification when asked.
• Rather than handing a TSA officer your boarding pass, position it straight on the scanner yourself. After that, hold it up for inspection.
• You can now take one container of hand sanitizer up to 12 oz (350 ml) in your carry-on luggage. You'll need to remove it for X-ray screening.
• Place any personal items (like your phone and wallet) in your carry-on rather than a bin to reduce handling during the screening process.
• If you're bringing food through security screening, put it in a clear plastic bag and then into a screening bin. This reduces the likelihood that a TSA agent will need to handle your carry-on bag or food container for closer inspection.

As travel restrictions begin to lift, airlines are now servicing flights with new measures including social distancing and increased sanitization. Here's what numerous carriers are doing to help minimize the spread of COVID-19:

• Delta - this airline is known for electrostatic cleaning and cleaning with disinfectant.
• JetBlue - this airline is known for keeping the middle seat empty and capped capacity flights.
• American Airlines - this airline is known for providing passenger masks and cleaning with disinfectant.