It’s been more than a year since many corporate travelers have passed through an airport, and enough has changed to surprise even the most experienced traveler.
Before Covid a business traveler knew what to expect and knew he could make through in a certain amount of time, that experience is not the same anymore.
As borders open, air travel demand is accelerating. More than 2 million people streamed through U.S. airport security checkpoints on June 11, the first time that daily benchmark was reached since early March 2020. Airports are beginning to be alive once again.
At some airports, travelers will find themselves spending more time in passenger processing. The average time spent to get to on a flight has increased substantially, especially for international travel, according to the International Air Travel Association. Time spent at the airport on the passenger journey, which includes check-in, security, border control, customs and baggage claim, has increased from 90 minutes on average pre-Covid to as much as three hours during park times, according to a study IATA released in May. Most of that increase in time was due to lengthier check-in and border control processes, according to IATA.
International entry requirements, including providing proof of negative Covid-19 tests, are a key driver of inbound travel delays. On a trip to Japan, a group of Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. travelers had to spend six hours to clear customs once they arrived in Tokyo. The travelers had to use a variety of apps and provide paperwork documenting their PCR tests.
For international travel, it’s really a hands-on event because even if you are able to get there, there are different apps you are required to download, and going through customs is a longer experience. If you don’t have Global Entry or you’re not a premium passenger you really, in the major airports, need to give yourself a lot of time to clear security.
To speed up passenger processing, some airlines have introduced a self-testing option for travelers to lower the time they spent on the journey. On June 24, Delta, for example, introduced at-home Covid-19 testing for international travelers through its website.
Additionally, airport screening staff remain well below pre-crisis levels, especially in the United States. In June, the acting head of the TSA issued a memo warning of shortages at 131 of the U.S.’s largest airports.
Similar situations can be expected in airports all around the world. So, if you plan to travel in the near future, make sure to plan ahead and give yourself enough time to arrive to the airport and board your flight.