How to Deal With a Fellow Traveler Who Does Not Comply With COVID-19 Rules
At this stage of the pandemic, it makes no sense to even comment on how COVID-19 has changed air travel – this is a matter of course. And how did it go? It depends on who you ask.
When we interviewed Brian Kelly, aka The Points Guy , back in October 2020, he mentioned that, in his own experience, there were fewer people on the planes, and those who did fly followed the rules and were polite friends. with friend. (This was a few months ago, so now he may have other observations.)
But not everyone shares this opinion, and many people notice fellow travelers who do not believe that public health measures related to COVID-19 apply to them. It was as if the virus approached them, realized that they were rich and privileged – or felt justified in ignoring the precautions for other reasons – and then just continued on its fun-filled journey.
If you encounter someone with this attitude while traveling, you may not be entirely sure how to deal with it for a number of reasons, including the fact that you understand that the chances are that they will listen to you. and then obey, small. But if you do decide to hang out with someone like this, here are some expert tips to help you navigate different situations.
Man does not wear face mask
Instead of starting a lecture on microbial theory, Nick Leighton, etiquette expert, host of the seminar “Were you raised by wolves?” the podcast advises to take a neutral approach. Here’s what he recently told USA Today :
“If you do interact with another traveler, approach them without judgment, value neutrality, and assume that the problem is just an innocent mistake and not a deliberately malicious one. The right tone is often a key ingredient in successfully defusing and resolving unpleasant etiquette situations. “
In this context (assuming they made an innocent mistake) you can also mention something about the new TSA fines for not wearing a mask at the airport.
The person does not physically distance themselves
This advice comes from Jeanie Johnston, a tour operator based in Minneapolis , and a similar approach: a combination of kindness with a certain context, which may be relevant to a person located in the immediate vicinity. On a recent trip to Disney World (mmm …), she politely asked people queuing next to her for some space, she told USA Today .
But before she did, she noted that Disneyland hadn’t had COVID cases since July, hoping they would put two and two together and figure out that if they wanted Disney World to stay open, they had to follow instructions. …
Man leaking hand sanitizer
This is an old trick commonly used to get someone with bad breath to take chewing gum or peppermint. Only this time, you are at the airport (or on the plane, etc.) and see someone who might be using hand sanitizer. Instead of giving them unsolicited hygiene information, get out a bottle of hand sanitizer, use it, and then casually offer it to the person – politely, not passively-aggressively.