Greetings from unseasonably warm and sunny Southern California! The hot topic on everyone’s mind (I’ve been getting calls, texts, emails, private messages, tweets, you name it) is of course coronavirus, or COVID-19 to be more exact. People are wondering about many things, including whether and where international travel is safe. Below is one of the many emails on the subject I got from a reader just yesterday. It's a great question, and a great example of the kind of questions I’ve been getting. I've deleted some of the identifying personal information so I could share it, with my response, here:
Dear Johnny - Can you write an update in your newsletter about what to do about traveling? I'm supposed to fly to France March 10, but I don't know if I should travel LAX-CDG-RER-Métro to [a friend's] flat and then go around Paris spreading my personal microbiome amongst my friends and their children.
First, that’s very considerate. I can relate to the house guest part of it since I just traveled to Florida to visit my dad, and while I was away, we had a house guest fly in back home. Here’s my answer.
How clean is your plane?
Airfare expert Rick Seaney tweeted this yesterday: How clean is your plane? A major U.S. airline told me "Each aircraft receives a thorough cleaning every night that includes sanitizing & disinfecting that meets or exceeds the CDC/WHO recommendations."
I retweeted it, asking "Do you believe them?" I don’t believe them, and the 50+ people that commented back don't seem to, either. My advice? Planes are filthy, and you shouldn't rely on the airlines to clean them. Take matters into your own hands and travel with disinfectant wipes (make sure they don’t have bleach in them since that could damage the surface). I recommend using Clorox and SONO disinfecting wipes and wiping down everything, from the seatbelt and tray table to the window shade, overhead compartment handle and entertainment system. Basically, whatever you’re going to touch. And importantly, I wait until everyone boards since I’ve been asked to switch seats after I’ve wiped down my seat, and it hurts when you only have one wipe left! On my PBI-DFW flight last week, I switched seats twice.
And finally: Be sure to wash or clean your hands before you eat on a plane, and don’t ever touch the bathroom door handle with your bare hands, especially when you’re coming out of the bathroom. I use a tissue or paper towel.
Please sign this petition
It drives me crazy when I’m asked to switch seats on a plane because the airline didn’t assign seats together for families. This petition started by Consumer Reports targets American, Delta and United Airlines, saying: "Children 13 or under should sit with their families while flying, and should not be charged extra fees to do so. Complaints have been filed against your airline for separating children as young as age 2 from their families. This is a security hazard for the child and a safety threat to all passengers during emergencies. It also puts an inappropriate burden on customers who sit next to an unaccompanied child. I expect you to put safety over profits, and seat children with their families without charging them extra for it." Please join me in support by signing the petition here.
Best credit cards for new parents
Parenting is one of the most rewarding yet interesting journeys you can take in life. If you're a new or expecting parent (or you know someone who is), you may not know what to expect from your new lifestyle, and that's okay. The credit cards in this post can help, including by maximizing those purchases you (perhaps) never thought about even a few months ago.
Companies I work with and recommend
Allianz (travel insurance), Amazon (travel gadgets and supplies), Blacklane (reliable car service), Bluffworks (wrinkle-free clothing), Booking.com (hotel deals), Hotspot Shield (VPN to protect your data and get cheaper travel deals), Medjet (medical evacuation and transport), Rail Europe (trains in Europe), Scottevest (travel clothes).
Follow us on social
If you're on social media, don't forget that you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter. You can follow my wife on Pinterest and Instagram.
