Airlines are ignoring Omicron

With Omicron spreading like wildfire these days, it’s pretty shocking to see how little restrictions there are with air travel.

If you haven’t been through an airport in a while, you were probably in for a rude awakening travelling this holiday season. It’s almost as if the airlines have collectively said; “We don’t care if you get COVID-19, we’re filling these planes and that’s that.”

First of all, there’s no social distancing in any lines of any kind. People walk right in front of you, stand less than a foot behind you, you’re pretty much in a mosh pit of people while trying to get through security or through the gate. Then when you get on the plane it’s as if the pandemic isn’t happening.

Planes are packed to full capacity, and I mean full capacity, and it’s honestly hard to believe that if there are 100 or so people in once place that not one person has Omicron. The mask thing is quite hilarious as well. Everyone is required to wear a mask, although I’m not sure what good it does if there’s a random stranger sitting so close to you that your elbows are touching.

Here’s the kicker though, your allowed to take your mask off when to consume food or drinks.

On my latest flight from Toronto back to Northern B.C., there was about a 45 minute stretch where literally everyone on the plane had their mask off to eat the gooey excuse for a hot lunch that was served. If you’re going to be strict about the mask mandate then why are you serving food and soft drinks, it completely defeats the purpose.

It’s one thing to be able to take your mask off at the table of a restaurant, but a plane is so compact that it just blows my mind that the same rules apply. I suppose, if you’re in an airplane with that many people the masks aren’t exactly a great defense anyways, but it’s the principal.

To me, it’s all about greed. These airlines were hemorrhaging money in the beginning of the pandemic, and it seems like now they’re all just doing whatever it takes to fill their aircrafts to the brim to keep the cash flowing.

I don’t know what the answer is, people are taking their own risk by choosing to travel, but airlines should at least be pretending to try to keep people safe for Pete’s sake.

I guess it’s all a part of this insane world we live in nowadays.

If you don’t want to come in contact with the virus, or you’re just a germaphobe in general, don’t go near an airport until things calm down, take my word for it.

Full disclosure by the way, I was rapid tested upon arrival in Prince George, and am COVID-19 free.