2021 has arrived and with it the new normal of travel continues (or at least normal for now). As we make our way through the beginning stages of this new year, there continue to be notable changes in our daily lives. Wearing masks, social distancing, and regular hand sanitizing are just a few of the many aspects that have now become so familiar to us all. Airports and airlines are no exception to this wave of change and are moving forward together, safely. ECP and its Airline partners have adapted and remain ready to welcome passengers back to the skies again this year.
What’s Flying in 2021
The shifts airports and airlines made during the pandemic not only made air travel possible, but in many cases more efficient and comfortable. For example, many airlines began leaving the middle seat open to allow for social distancing in-flight and many airlines have committed to continuing to do so well into this year for your safety and comfort.
Other notable new normals in air travel include changes to in-flight service to adhere to CDC COVID-19 guidelines. Prepare to bring snacks and drinks of your own as many airlines have stopped in-flight service temporarily.
Passengers may experience fewer crowds, COVID-19 testing requirements (for certain destinations), and touchless technology to make check-in and other service options safer and smoother.
A ‘silver lining’ to all this could be the incredible low-fare deals available. Airlines, like the ones that serve ECP regularly, promote low fare rates to increase passenger travel consideration, so keep up with them on email and on social media to be the first to know about the best deals.
Ready for You and the Future
Armed with our ECP Ready Program designed to effectively move through the pandemic safely, we are confident we will begin to see passenger travel return to pre-pandemic levels soon. In the meantime, we have not stopped working hard to improve the experience at ECP for all our passengers. With the expansion of our Terminal including Gates 6 & 7 over the summer and our reimagined blueprint for what our Airport could look like in the years to come with our strategic Master Plan Update, we stand ready to grow even further with our airline and Regional partners as the gateway to and from Northwest Florida.
