SAN DIEGO — The CDC recommended that people not gather this holiday weekend, and AAA reports that 92% of Southern Californians will drive if they do decide to travel. But still, thousands of people will travel by air in San Diego.
With Thanksgiving just days away, the San Diego Airport was not as busy as it normally would be on a major holiday. For those who have decided to fly, they say it’s a risk they’re willing to take.
“If you’re willing to follow the rules that they’re going to put out for you to actually travel, then I don’t see an issue with you being able to go,” said Tiana Eckles, who lives in Virginia.
AAA said it expects the amount of traveling to decrease by 13% from the travel season last year because of the coronavirus pandemic and the extra restrictions.
“To go to Hawaii you have to have a test 72 hours before your flight. So, we had to have a negative test to show when we got there. And yeah, it’s pretty simple. They just give you rules,” Eckles said.
Testing for COVID-19 in San Diego County has gone up recently, especially since entering the purple tier. Even with increased testing and new restrictions, some travelers said they aren’t too fond of wearing masks, so they’ve found other ways to cover up when traveling.
“Did I wear a mask? Well, I can show you examples of different face coverings because we all have different definitions of a face coverings. So when needed to be inside, this is a simple way to have a mask,” said Becky Paradise, who flew in to San Diego from Oakland wearing a scarf around her face.
This is just the beginning of the holiday travel season and people will continue to fly at least until January. Some travelers said that as long as they’re taking precautions, they feel safe to do so.