Division No. 9 Vacations

The COVID-19 pandemic may have changed how we travel, but it hasn't dampened our enthusiasm for exploring. Here are a few tips on how to cope with travel's new challenges:

• Before you lock in a flight, see if any travel bans or restrictions apply — in both your origin and destination. Get the latest updates by reviewing government and travel websites.
• Keep your face mask on even during airport screening. A TSA officer will ask you to temporarily lower your mask for identification purposes.
• Do not hand your boarding pass (electronic or paper) directly to a TSA employee. Instead, position your pass on the scanner and then hold it up for the agent to visually inspect it.
• You can take one container of hand sanitizer up to 12 oz (350 ml) in your carry-on bag. This will need to be removed for X-ray screening.
• Empty everything from your pocket, such as your phone and wallet, and put them in your carry-on instead of into bins. This will reduce handling during screening.
• If you're planning to take food on the plane with you, place it in a clear plastic bag and then into a scanning bin. This lessens the likelihood that a TSA agent will need to handle your food container or carry-on bag for closer inspection.

In order to lessen the contact between passengers and cabin crew during the current pandemic, many airlines have taken physical distancing and other preventive measures to the skies. An example of these are:

• WestJet - this airline is known for cleaning with disinfectant and electrostatic cleaning.
• Air Canada - this airline is known for conducting passenger temperature checks and cleaning with disinfectant.
• American Airlines - this airline is known for providing passenger masks and cleaning with disinfectant.