Business Travel in COVID WORLD (21-25th Feb)! It is RISKY!!!
After 15 months, (Nov 2019) I decided to make business travel in the so called, post Covid world. As calls have been coming, and it was getting tough to let go them, I decided at long last after 15 months of staying at home! (Twice did business assignment within Bangalore) Sunday, 21st FEB 2021 until today (25th) to undertake Business travel. I took the direct Indigo flight to Baroda and back. It is a 100 min flight.
BLUFF:- I think the crowd and rush is so much that it is not worth the risk to carry out business travel, (more so outside Bangalore) esply from domestic travel for some more time until you are vaccinated. I met 3 people who had recovered from Covid, in Gujarat, and all had source from Wife, Children who had got some other disease (Dengue, Fever) and then these guys got infected during Hospital visit/vigil! Hospital appears a dangerous place.
I decided to undertake this trip based on the experience of son and daughter, who had been to the USA, in the past 2 months, and were informing me that the airports are not all that crowded as were aircrafts occupancy, and it is ok to take up travel. The pictures they had sent also made me feel that it should be ok. Friends who traveled a bit in domestic sector, a month back also informed the same status of thin crowd etc.
21st Feb, also being Sunday, I thought the crowd should be usually less. I couldn’t have been more wrong. When I reached the airport, the line to get inside airport ,at both gangways ( 5 gates each) was miles long!! Being frequent traveler and knowing the shortcuts and tricks for access, I managed to make it through these gates in less time. (But passengers are struggling in the new covid world with Masks, Identification, etc.!!!)…..
Despite doing web check in and having Baggage drop tag with me, the line to drop bags at check in counter were good 100 people and there was no way I would have reached in time at gate if I waited my turn! I got the baggage checked in through pay priority counter, and went for security check which was another 15 min or so with 100s of people in queue and no social distance between people anywhere. Yes, I did see almost 100% Masks being worn by people at every situation which is a positive aspect. I had also downloaded Arogyasethu app, on way to airport, but no one asked me.
I was given Face Shield before boarding aircraft both ways, at boarding gate, the only saving grace was aircraft was less than half full with many seats empty. Seat besides mine was empty! The airline ground staff didn’t insist on me wearing shield during boarding, but I wore it as much as I can during the cruise mode. With cloth mask and spectacles wearing shield, makes it very foggy as well as the Face shield visibility is not so great despite removing the plastic sheet fixed in it. It appears that there are two plastic sheets to be pealed off, I did remove one, may be that is the reason the visibility was not good! (I didn’t wear at all during return trip and so now it a souvenir!)
The services inside flight were pretty good with good sanitization, cleanliness, and airline staff in full protection mode. Food items have become costly by 50% or so.
At both Baroda and Bharuch where I spent 5 days, the mask compliance was outstanding, with 1 in 1000 person on street, missing a mask. The issue is massive crowd and lack of social distancing, as well as too much sneezing etc in hotels, etc when having food!! (Happened 2-3 times!)
My conclusion is that I would now wait a good 4-5 months or so, post vaccination for resuming my Business travel outside Bangalore. I feel with the Indian crowd, un-orderliness, rush as well as Hussle bustle besides jump the queue, that are part of Indian systems ( You can’t do anything about it) it appears not a risk worth taking despite COVID cases being low or practically none as it is stated in media and newspapers!! It may take just one infected person to set the cat amongst pigeon especially in closed confined environment like Airport, Aircraft, trains and one has few situations where you have to let go mask to drink water or have food or use washroom etc. Also politics of suddenly introducing RT-PCR tests by states, at whim and will, with moment notice as condition of entry in to their state, over the past week is Business travel passenger's nightmare.(Where would you go in a strange place to get tested and await results besides, where is time!???!)
In a country like India where you are on to yourself with no social protection net or financial support from any quarters, as Jack Ma said, it is best to be just alive in 2021 and so business can take a back seat for some more time with one making adjustments in their financial situation.
PS: I shall be getting my COVID test done tomorrow(Friday) ! I guess I cant ignore with so much asymptomatics out there!!!
Update Friday 26th, COVID tests both RT-PCR and Antigen tests done. Results by evening.
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