Travel to Italy in Corona time
As a true travel fanatic (I, Eveline Repko - Manager Operations Goes, work in the travel industry for a reason) my "travel heart" did start beating hard again in August. Time to go on a trip! The dates were already set, now the destination. I postponed the final booking as long as possible, in this case until 1 week before departure. This was to minimize the chance of a country being assigned a color code orange by our government between the time of booking and the travel itself. The trip would then fall through. In the end, this turned out to be a good choice because where Greece was still the number one country, a day before I wanted to book it became "code orange". So a new destination had to be selected at short notice.
What is it going to be?
The new and final destination became Puglia, located in the heel of the boot of Italy. Puglia is regularly booked by our clients working in the oil, shipping and wind energy industries. Bari and Brindisi are the two airports that can be flown to from the Netherlands. To both airports a direct connection is possible with Transavia, both from Amsterdam and Rotterdam airport.
In Italy, at the time of my trip, the number of infections is well under control and life is back to business as usual, with only a requirement for mouth caps in certain places. Additionally, and certainly not unimportantly, Italy has "code yellow" at the time of booking and travel and therefore does not require quarantine upon return.
COVID-19 requirements
Travel is certainly possible during these times, but there are some additional concerns for each trip, and depending on the destination or airline, additional requirements may apply. In addition, in order to fly from a Dutch airport, you are required to complete a health declaration stating that you have no COVID-19 symptoms.
Please note that this mandatory health certificate must be filled out for both the outbound and return trips and must be able to be presented at check-in if asked.
At the time of travel, a form was required for Italy that had to be printed out and signed. In addition, for the region where we would be staying, Puglia, I had to fill out an additional form online and forward it by email. However, this has now changed and every Dutch traveler must be able to provide a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours prior to arrival in Italy. However, there are exceptions to this. Are you planning to travel to Italy soon, be sure to check out the current regulations via this site.
Quick and easy parking and travel from Rotterdam Airport
To travel as carefree as possible, I made a reservation in advance for parking at Rotterdam Airport. No hassle at the airport, entry can be done by license plate and the cheapest and farthest parking is just a 10-minute walk from the terminal. Compared to Schiphol this is almost next to the terminal! By the way, Rotterdam Airport also offers the possibility to park right next to the terminal, then you can walk into the terminal within 1 minute.
Measures at the airport
From the moment of entry at Rotterdam Airport, wearing a face mask is mandatory. This is strictly checked upon entry, as well as whether you have brought a completed health certificate. Please note that for some destinations wearing a surgical face mask is mandatory. These are the "disposable ones" and not the washable ones. Italy is an example of this.
Checking in online, especially now!
We always recommend online check-in whenever possible, especially in this day and age. By checking in online, there are fewer contact moments with airport staff and you can get through to security check faster. So in my case, I had checked in online. Because I also brought check-in baggage, I had to hand it in at the check-in desk at the airport. It was not crowded, so it was easy. When the lines got longer, they immediately opened a new desk to prevent the crowds from increasing.
Rotterdam Airport is a very pleasant airport to travel from or to. It is very compact so in this case I was at the gate within 5 minutes. The spacious waiting area has plenty of room to sit for all travelers and even though three flights left at about the same time, it certainly didn't feel too crowded.
A requirement for boarding was a temperature check. This was required from Italy. Along with this we received two more forms to fill out, one of which was taken and the other was handed over at boarding. There this was handed back to the flight crew.
Once at the destination
In Puglia, I enjoyed a wonderful tour. There are many port towns with historic centers and inland you will find authentic white villages and the typical Trulli, the white houses with cone-shaped roofs. In addition, of course, I also enjoyed the delicious Italian food, think pasta Carbonara, Burrata with tomatoes and Tiramisu.
To travel around locally, I rented a car through Sunny Cars. One of the advantages of renting a car through Sunnycars is the good all-inclusive package they offer. With this, you are insured with no deductible. In terms of COVID-19, the local rental companies have also taken their responsibility and are careful about hygiene. For example, all cars are thoroughly cleaned after use and all contact points are extra clean. For more information, also check out our blog With tips for booking a rental car.
The return trip went smoothly again, at Brindisi airport they check the temperature of all travelers as they enter the terminal, via a pillar. Within seconds the temperature is checked and you can pass through.
To travel or not to travel in COVID-19 times?
The conclusion I can personally draw after taking this trip in the Corona era: travel is safe and certainly not uncomfortable. However, it is important to be well informed about the various regulations that apply at the airports, on board and in your destination country.
However, this is certainly not a reason to stop traveling altogether. More information on the measures in force at airlines and at various destinations can also be found at our measures-blog.
Travel Well
Eveline Repko
Manager of Operations Goes
