For the past 25 years, Air Journey has been organizing flying adventures to the four corners of the world. 2020 was shaping up to be the best traveling year ever with the addition of new destinations such as the Stans-countries and new ways of visiting Africa. The pandemic changed everything. From mid-March all the way to mid-October, we had nothing for sale and to offer. But we took advantage of the very slow time to prepare our organization for the reopening of some of the world destinations, as well as implement new processes in order to stay safe and still enjoy the beautiful airplanes we have. So how did we proceed?
The first priority has been to collect information on the rules and regulations on how foreign travelers can visit the various countries. We also understand that for every one of those countries, tourists represent a big part of their annual activity.
The second most important item is learning how to travel and stay safe during this very unusual time. We still don’t have a clear understanding of how the virus is being spread. We have been bombarded with different news and information but there is a lot still to understand – such as why with a couple a husband can be positive but the wife is not, and the same thing with a family with children.
The different health and travel organizations around the world have set up rules and regulations on how to do the best job to protect travelers. We went through the maze of information trying to understand the differences between the different tests, including the PCR test, antigen test, saliva test, and the antibody test, as well as which of these tests was accepted in the different countries.
The protocol we put in place is based on some of the destination requirements. Generally, the PCR test swab through the nose needs to be done between ten to seven or even five and sometimes even three days prior to arrival in the country. The process starts with the traveler doing the test before leaving home, then sharing the information with us, which we then share with the destination authorities. This starts the process of completing the various forms, including the new health form.
Then we added one additional layer of safety. We have all the participants meet in the town of departure to be tested. Right now, we’re mostly going to the Caribbean and Central America, and the testing is done here in Palm Beach or Stuart, Florida, at the departure airport. We have an arrangement with a local lab, which sends us a nurse to do an antigen test. It’s also done using a swab in the nose, although not as deep as with the PCR test, and the results are available within 10 to 20 minutes.
This second test reassures us that none of the participants on the journey have contracted the virus between the time they performed the PCR test and the time we leave. I’m happy we’ve put this process in place. Unfortunately, on one of the three journeys we have already operated, one participant tested positive on the antigen test and had to go back home.
In terms of destinations we are staying away from large buildings, compacted accommodations, and the use of elevators or corridors. We are looking for boutique hotels with stand-alone, pavilion bungalows for the rooms. The restaurant facilities also need to be outside in order to have good airflow.
We provide all of the participants with a face mask—with an Air Journey logo of course—as well as sanitizing lotion. And we keep doing the social distancing. Part of the process will be a temperature check every morning at breakfast to help determine that no one has been infected.
With destinations we are only looking at one, maximum two stops. The reason is that if we go to a second destination in the Caribbean that requires a PCR test from 36 hours to five days in advance, that test would need to be performed at the destination where we are already staying. If the test is positive, then the people tested would have to self-quarantine at the hotel where we are staying until they test negative.
We believe that traveling at this time of COVID can be safe by following these strict rules, and we will not accept anyone not agreeing to these terms.
The destinations that we are offering at this time include the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Dominican Republic, Antigua, St. Lucia, Jamaica and some of the countries of Central America such as Guatemala and Costa Rica. We are monitoring the evolution of the different countries very closely. As I had to do in March, I am willing to pull the plug on any journey or destination that shows a challenging COVID situation.
Over the next weeks and months until the pandemic is under control, we will be announcing our short journeys on a regular basis. We are not taking any money for long-term reservations since we don’t know if we’ll be able to operate.
We also highly recommend taking cancellation interruption insurance, and beginning in 2021 we have COVID hospitalization insurance coverage for every participant. This is required by a few of the countries we are going to, but we think it’s an additional plus to all our traveling journeyers.
The situation is changing every day, so feel free to connect with us either by email or by telephone. We have an Air Journey Club that gives you access to a number of goodies, but also gives you up-to-the-minute rules and restrictions for the different countries surrounding the Caribbean basin. It’s a must-see for all of us.
I would like to remind everyone that all the different places we are going to have been visited over the years by an Air Journey member, so we have firsthand knowledge of all destinations as well as the local handlers and what else needs to be done.
The next journey we are offering is an outing in the Caribbean towards the end of January, then in February the Bahamas and Central America, and in March and April we again go to the Caribbean and Central America.
For more information on a particular trip, scan one of the QR codes.
Thierry Pouille is the founder of Air Journey – a leader in escorted flying experiences around the world. Learn more at www.airjourney.com.
