Travel two years into the pandemic
As people return to travelling and airports, it’s been interesting to see how behaviour has changed.
Some observations.
Masks are no longer required in French airports but the vast majority of people are wearing them. This I expect is in stark contrast to what’s happening in the US and even the UK. You get the distinct feeling of superiority emanating from behind the mask - “I’m more socially conscious than you.”
People in queues are more patient, and more polite. It isn’t clear whether this is because they are happy to be travelling again or whether if this about being grateful that Covid is tapering off and they are still alive.
Security staff aren’t as officious as they tend to be. This is probably because they are out of practice. I expect peak babu behaviour to return by September, once they have dealt with a summer’s worth of tourists.
People have stopped using earphones or headphones for calls. There are currently three conference calls happening within 10 metres of me, all with people shouting at screens. Workfromhomeitis, people will take a while to recover from it.
Cabin baggage has become enormous. People are carrying mini suitcases onboard, sometimes two or theee of them. Backpacks are like rucksacks. Insecurity about lost baggage?
Travel for leisure is coming back quicker than business travel. Companies and workers don’t want to rush back into non-essential travel. With video meetings having come of age thanks to the pandemic, business travel may never return to pre-pandemic levels. People do want to go on holiday though.
Let’s see how this develops.