LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The question of 2020; to travel or not to travel? As we approach one of the biggest travel holidays of the year, the Muhammad Ali Airport in Louisville is preparing to get travelers on their journeys safely.
For months they have had many of these protocols in place, but this holiday season will be the first time many people are experiencing them, traveling to see their loved ones.
They have plexiglass barriers at almost every customer service counter and people need to wear a mask in the airport and on the plane. Hand sanitizer is at every corner. They also have some of their staff that usually sit at the information booth, all virtual!
Announcements are played throughout the airport speaker at the airport, reminding people of the CDC guidelines they follow.
Darrell Watson the VP of strategy and innovation, tells us their customers health and safety is their number one priority.
"We have four autonomous robotic floor scrubbers that are in service right now. That actually frees up more time for cleaners to clean up those high touch surfaces like elevator buttons, hand rails, moving walkways. and We've been doing that since February," Watson said.
Travelers like Nahid Arif flew from Seattle to Chicago to Louisville. She's taken both a Delta and Southwest flight. Arif says she actually felt safer in a plane than some other places.
"I've actually felt extremely safe during COVID traveling, protocols were amazing," Arif said. "I'm constantly reminding myself to hand sanitize, wipe certain things down, and I feel like where as if you're at home and you're going to a restaurant or you're just hanging out with friends, you forget to do a lot of that stuff."
We weren't able to get on a plane here in Louisville, so Nahid was able to provide insight about her flight to Louisville.
"I think the biggest thing for me is making sure they leave that middle seat open. Which I don't know how many airlines do that, but the ones that do it's amazing on their part," Nahid said.
As you walk through the Louisville airport you will also notice they are providing masks to anyone who may need one. In an effort to use holiday cheer to promote safety, you can grab a mask and some travel hand sanitizer off of their Christmas tree.
"Now more than ever, it's so important to be able to visit with family and friends and be able to travel to see them," Watson said.
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