On April 1 (no kidding) this year, I took my 10-year-old to Orlando, during a week when war was being waged in Iraq and concerns swirled about the new illness, SARS, known to be contagious on airline flights.
Basically, air travel was "business as usual". Here's what we found different compared to travel six months earlier.
- security machines have been upgraded. We were warned that film will now be damaged if it's packed in checked luggage. Be sure to pack all film in your carry-on bags. (Don't forget disposable cameras!)
- laptop computers must be put into a tray, and then passed through the security machine.
- you will be asked to take off jackets and coats, and send them separately through the security machine.
- the remove-your-shoes policy seems to vary by type of shoe and by airport policy. It's unlikely that you'll need to remove your kids' shoes.
Still the same, since 9/11:
- arrive at the airport two hours before departure. You never know when you'll encounter a looong line up at a security gate.
- be sure to have photo ID for yourself, and ID for your child also. (Best idea is to have photo ID for your child too, though this is not routinely requested.)
Regarding SARS:
We flew out of Vancouver airport, which is virtually next door to Hong Kong and China in terms of air travel, with many flights arriving daily. Naturally, I was concerned about SARS --Severe Acute Respiratory Disease, which spring into being recently in China. On April 1 2003, we saw only a handful of people wearing protective masks (-- the type that surgeons wear.) Similarly, when we returned via LA on April 6th, we saw only a couple of people with masks. In Orlando, we saw no one.
Note that the SARS situation could change momentarily-- see SARS update links, below.
If you plan to use surgical masks, buy them as soon as possible: I was unable to buy the proper kind, which covers the entire nose-mouth area.
Extra tips:
- DO make a copy of your photo ID, and ID for all family members. On our trip, my pouch with pasports, credit card, etc., vanished when we passed through security. (I reported it stolen, but 20 hours later it emerged from the security machine!) Fortunately, I had copies of our passports at home; I'd also packed our birth certificates separately.
- DO carry a signed letter of authorization if a child is crossing any borders with only one birth parent. See more on this topic.
- Be aware that most airlines and many resorts have put liberal cancellation policies into place, to encourage people to continue to book vacations during these uncertain times. See more on cancellation policies.
