Updates from KAI - October 2020
RepFest Lineup is Here!
We are thrilled to share with you the lineup for our groundbreaking virtual travel festival, RepFest! With five virtual stages, two days of content, and more than one hundred sessions, RepFest promises to be a fun and exciting way for you to learn about and virtually visit some incredible locations around the world, all from the comfort of your computer. You choose which sessions you want to experience, and you have full access to all of the content for 30 days after the end of the festival. Even better, all profits benefit Every Mother Counts. Learn more and reserve your spot by visiting our website! (and follow us on Instagram!)
New All-Villa Itinerary Featuring Mhondoro
Our partners at Mhondoro Safari Lodge and Villa are pleased to announce a new family-friendly Villa itinerary with two other premier luxury villas in South Africa, Ellerman House and Perivoli Lagoon House. This itinerary offers a truly unique experience, with urban, coastal, and bush safari experiences over 9 days. Click here to see the itinerary, and email us for more info!
Kenya Airways Set to Resume Non-stop Flights to New York!
Kenya Airways announced that they are set to resume flying non-stop to New York on Oct 29th. We are thrilled to hear this news, as our partners on the ground in Kenya are ready to welcome your clients! Sarova Hotels and Resorts and Naibor Camps as well as our partner DMC, Liberty Africa Safaris, are all poised to help with all your requests. Contact us for more information.
DK at JFK
Out and About with KAI
JR at, believe it or not, the Bora Bora airport
As most of us haven’t been on a plane in over 6 months, there’s a lot of questions about what travel looks like now, specifically, what is the experience like in airports and on airplanes? We are happy to report back a bit on this! David had the opportunity to take a tour of Newark Airport with Delta to hear all about their new precautions and procedures, and then got to experience traveling first hand when he left to work remotely from the beaches of Barbados for the month of October. And when French Polynesia opened their borders in July, Jessica decided to take advantage and is on the ground in Tahiti right now. They are happy to share with you a bit more about their experiences.
DK- EWR & Delta
Our good friends and colleagues at Delta Air Lines have shown their true colors as an industry leader throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and I was pleased to accept their invitation to an airport tour showcasing all of the protocols and best practices that had been put into effect over the past couple of months.
I visited Newark International Airport on September 16th with a group of 8 other key Delta partners for a comprehensive tour and review of the practices they have in place.
Many people are hesitant to fly these days, but I can safely say that any potential fears or concerns were alleviated by this thorough tour and ‘inspection’.
Here are a few takeaways from the tour that I found interesting and reassuring. Please note that some other carriers may be doing some similar things but I don’t believe any other airline is taking all of these precautions at such a level.
- Delta appointed a Vice President of Cleanliness whose sole responsibility is the hygiene and safety of their passengers and employees (he is a high level executive with Delta for over a decade that was reassigned to this newly created position).
- Turnaround times for Delta flights have been increased by nearly double to allow for a thorough sanitization process between EVERY flight (not just daily). This includes a full cleansing of the interior of the plane – seats, trays, screens, and even overhead bins – using a matrix spray.
- Boarding is done from the back of the aircraft to the front in groups of 10, and all pax and crew must wear face masks on board. There are also social distancing markers around the gate area, including the jetway, and throughout the terminal.
- All Delta aircraft have HEPA filters which circulate fresh air every 2-3 minutes, making air on board far cleaner than many other indoor spaces, such as supermarkets and other retail shops.
These filters are changed twice as often as they are required by industry standards.
They are in the process of installing these filters into the jetway as well.
- Delta only sells 60% of the seats on any flight and ALL middle seats are blocked. They have committed to this practice until at least January 6, 2021 but that could be extended.
- Newark airport has a testing facility for both PCR and antibody tests ($75) as well.
While I wasn’t concerned about getting on a plane, I feel even more comfortable flying following this visit and I will definitely be booking Delta for my next journey.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more please visit www.delta.com or contact DK (212.239.7979 / david@kainyc.com).
JR- Tahiti
French Polynesia, or more commonly known as Tahiti and her islands, started allowing US travelers to visit on July 15th. I decided to make the trip across the Pacific and check out the islands of Tahiti, Mo’orea, Bora Bora, and Rangiora.
Tahiti has several requirements for US Travelers when making their way to paradise. US travelers need to have a negative PCR COVID test taken no more than 72 hours prior to arrival, present receipt of a health registration form on etis.pf, have health insurance, and take a self-covid test 4 days after arrival. This might sound like many requirements but after doing it, the hardest part was dealing with the anxiety surrounding the first test! Once clients do the self-covid test they can turn it into the hotel front desk.
The travel experience to Tahiti is very easy! There are nonstop flights from LAX to PPT on Air Tahiti Nui and nonstop flights from SFO to PPT on United. I had a 40-minute line at LAX when boarding my flight and overall had a crowded flight to Tahiti. While traveling around French Polynesia, I ran into many US travelers which is a positive sign that US travelers are taking advantage of Tahiti’s accessibility and availability!
If you have any questions on Tahiti and her islands please reach out to me at Jessica@kainyc.com. I am happy to talk about it!
DK- Barbados
September 26, 2020 - It had been exactly 187 days since the last time I was on an airplane, by far the longest stretch between flights in my adult life. Thankfully, I was in an Uber to JFK to not only board a flight but travel internationally once again.
As much as my wife Katie and I love our home in Hoboken we decided we’d been ‘stuck there’ long enough and booked an extended trip to the Caribbean to temporarily live in & work from Barbados.
Our excitement was tempered a little bit by the uncertainty and anxiety that came along with traveling during a pandemic but I am pleased to report that it was one of the most seamless and comfortable travel experiences I’ve ever had in my life.
Katie had done loads of research to make sure we were prepared for the journey:
Negative PCR Covid test within 72 hours of departure? Check!
First week’s accommodation booked at an approved hotel for quarantine? Check!
Online forms completed for Barbados Immigration and Customs? Check!
Hand sanitizer? Masks? Disinfecting wipes? Check! Check! Check!
While we were prepared as ever for one of our journeys there was still the unknown of what the airport, the flight, and the arrival experience would be like. Looking back I laugh at the fact that there was any stress over any of these parts of the trip.
We arrived Terminal 5 at JFK roughly 3 hours before our flight and we were through security and by the gate about 2 hours & 45 minutes ahead of departure. There were minimal lines and we got through airport formalities in no time at all. We flew JetBlue (nonstop JFK/BGI) and they block the middle seats on all flights so we had the row to ourselves. Passengers were respectful and courteous, the flight crew was great and the fact that our flight departed before 8am made the fact that there was no alcohol available somewhat bearable…
Touchdown in Bridgetown brought on an overwhelming feeling of excitement but we knew there was still a ways to go before we were ‘home’. There were many steps in the arrival process, but I must say that Barbados has their act together – it was incredibly well organized and efficient for the number of protocols and checks in place. After showing our negative PCR Covid tests; passing the health screening; filling out paperwork with contact details and receiving color-coded bracelets; handing in our immigration forms to an officer; passing a secondary screening; and collecting our bags we were in a complimentary shuttle to The Crane Resort (our home for the quarantine period) with strict instructions of dos & don’ts. Following 6 days of self-reporting our temperatures to the ministry of health and a second negative test (US$50 and done at our hotel) we were free to enjoy the island.
If you have any questions or would like additional info on DK’s experience traveling internationally give him a call or email (212.239.7979 / david@kainyc.com), however if you’re interested in Barbados-specific requirements please also visit https://www.visitbarbados.org/ as the requirements and protocols are regularly changing and the website is incredibly detailed and helpful.