By Steve Orens, President, Plaza Travel

Today, with the reduced number of travelers and the enhanced safety concerns, there is much more time to get things right and a lot less tolerance for any lapse in cleanliness. I am very impressed with the efforts and processes mostly all travel companies are putting in place to ensure the safety and comfort of each guest. Are there lapses? Of course there are, but they are few and far between.

Last month I flew Delta Airlines to Seattle, my first flight since this all began. In the past I was usually on a plane a few times a month, so it was with great excitement and a bit of trepidation that I headed to the airport. I, like so many of you, have seen all of the articles, social media, and commercials about the new cleanliness standards and was about to experience them myself. I was not disappointed at all. I felt safe, felt everything was clean (cleaner than ever before) and I was overly impressed by the joy and smiles of each person I interacted with from the time I stepped into the terminal to when I got to my hotel in Seattle. It seems as if each and every hospitality person was very grateful to be working and doing what they love. When I refer to every person, I mean every person... gate agents, TSA & Clear agents, shuttle drivers, flight attendants, everyone!  

As I boarded the plane I was handed a wipe with a smile and a greeting. Even though I know how clean the plane is, I still wiped down my seatbelt, table, and window shade. During the flight I received a sealed bag with another wipe, bottle of water, and a snack. When we arrived at the gate in Seattle, no one jumped up to rush off. Getting off the plane was as orderly as getting on, small groups of rows and no pushing. Delta boards from the back to the front and deplanes from the front to back, all very calm and orderly. I know many of you have seen videos showing a different story on some flights.  As referenced above, I do think there are those lapses in cleanliness and service, but I think those lapses are rare. I continually hear about clients’ rave reviews and great experiences when traveling.  

I stayed at two different hotels in Seattle; both were very clean and the staff was as cheerful and helpful as expected. While some of the dining venues on-site were not open, the staff had great suggestions for meals. 

I had a great travel experience and can’t wait to travel again. When have you ever been able to travel without the crowds, long lines at terminals, and overly clean airplanes and hotel rooms? While I do think the crowds will eventually come back, I think we’re at a new long term cleanliness standard.  

I share my thoughts and experience to inspire you to travel now, think about traveling in the future, or start the process for a future trip.  As we move forward we will be sharing more commentary, stories and first-hand experiences from our staff and clients. We’d love to hear your feedback if you take a trip!