Terry
100+ Posts
I also posted this on FB (Long post)
We have just returned from our trip to Israel, (first flight in almost two years), and I have to report that our flying experience was way way out of my comfort zone. We flew in and out of Newark. Lufthansa on the way over, SwissAir (thru Lufthansa) on the way home. We had been canceled by United one month before our trip (!) - it was our original choice and a nonstop flight, with no replacement flights for us. So we flew Lufthansa business, rates were really affordable. The airport business lounge was very crowded, no distancing, and masks off while eating. We left there. The rest of the airport was crowded too. Wherever people ate, their masks were off. Queues getting onto the plane, distancing was even worse. Of course, in order to fly to Israel, you had to show proof of vaccinations (we’re triple), and a negative PCR test within 72 hrs of departure. But as we all know, you can be negative today and positive tomorrow. More on that later.
We wore our masks the entire flight, except to eat. Proper mask-wearing is uneven at best; I saw lots of nostrils and lips. I’ve been extremely cautious these past two years, and only recently have we dined outdoors. The flight experience was disturbing. We had a connecting flight in Frankfurt (HATE that airport); had to take a jam-packed shuttle bus to our new gate.
Landed in Israel on Saturday; all travelers are required to take another PCR test at the airport (~$20 pre-paid, $27 on site). Results were back <24° later via email, but you must shelter in place until you’re proven negative. We were fine. My niece and her family, who live/flew in from London, tested negative but were only double-vaxxed, so she needed a repeat test 7 days after her arrival, which was the following Thursday. She got repeat test results the next day, on Friday, while we were all at the wedding —— she and her 3 year old daughter were positive! We were all exposed, and everyone at the wedding. A super-spreader event! I can’t even.
Stu and I tested negative after the wedding, and before our flight. The bride tested positive on Sunday.
We got home last night and tested negative this morning. Will be sheltering for the next week, and will continue serial testing. We feel fine so far. My niece, her daughter, and the bride all felt “under the weather” - no fevers, no loss of sense of smell/taste.
We got out of Israel just in time, as the country has just closed its borders to travelers due to the omicron variant. We have tickets and are supposed to go to London in mid-January to finally visit my little grandsons. I’m honestly not sure if this will happen or not.
We have just returned from our trip to Israel, (first flight in almost two years), and I have to report that our flying experience was way way out of my comfort zone. We flew in and out of Newark. Lufthansa on the way over, SwissAir (thru Lufthansa) on the way home. We had been canceled by United one month before our trip (!) - it was our original choice and a nonstop flight, with no replacement flights for us. So we flew Lufthansa business, rates were really affordable. The airport business lounge was very crowded, no distancing, and masks off while eating. We left there. The rest of the airport was crowded too. Wherever people ate, their masks were off. Queues getting onto the plane, distancing was even worse. Of course, in order to fly to Israel, you had to show proof of vaccinations (we’re triple), and a negative PCR test within 72 hrs of departure. But as we all know, you can be negative today and positive tomorrow. More on that later.
We wore our masks the entire flight, except to eat. Proper mask-wearing is uneven at best; I saw lots of nostrils and lips. I’ve been extremely cautious these past two years, and only recently have we dined outdoors. The flight experience was disturbing. We had a connecting flight in Frankfurt (HATE that airport); had to take a jam-packed shuttle bus to our new gate.
Landed in Israel on Saturday; all travelers are required to take another PCR test at the airport (~$20 pre-paid, $27 on site). Results were back <24° later via email, but you must shelter in place until you’re proven negative. We were fine. My niece and her family, who live/flew in from London, tested negative but were only double-vaxxed, so she needed a repeat test 7 days after her arrival, which was the following Thursday. She got repeat test results the next day, on Friday, while we were all at the wedding —— she and her 3 year old daughter were positive! We were all exposed, and everyone at the wedding. A super-spreader event! I can’t even.
Stu and I tested negative after the wedding, and before our flight. The bride tested positive on Sunday.
We got home last night and tested negative this morning. Will be sheltering for the next week, and will continue serial testing. We feel fine so far. My niece, her daughter, and the bride all felt “under the weather” - no fevers, no loss of sense of smell/taste.
We got out of Israel just in time, as the country has just closed its borders to travelers due to the omicron variant. We have tickets and are supposed to go to London in mid-January to finally visit my little grandsons. I’m honestly not sure if this will happen or not.