Chances are, you haven’t been on a plane in quite some time. Thanks to the coronavirus outbreak, we’ve all been avoiding travel like the plague. Germy airports and airplanes just seem far too risky during a pandemic!

However, now that many areas in the world are loosening restrictions as spikes and cases decline, more and more people are wondering whether it’s safe to fly and if a vacation this summer can actually be a possibility.

Being on an airplane right now is a bit different than what we once knew. For example, many flights are attempting to leave seats open in between other passengers (e.g., not allowing the middle seats to be filled) in order to maintain social distancing even in an enclosed space.

Additionally, some airlines have begun to board passengers back to front (instead of boarding by group number), so that fewer passengers have the need to pass by others.

As far as rules and regulations for passengers, most airports and airlines are requiring masks or face coverings and that they be kept on the whole flight. On your flight itself, you can expect everything from your seat to your food trays to have received a deep cleaning between each flight.

Speaking of those tray tables, getting food on a plane isn’t quite how it was just a couple of months ago. Flight attendants offer up your grub in individually wrapped bags as a way to reduce contact between you and them.

And now, some airlines—including Easyjet and KLM in Europe, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines in the United States, and Asia’s Virgin Australia—are even putting a ban on booze! So you can’t even drink away your worries about the virus.

How exactly does banning alcohol help limit the spread of coronavirus on an airplane? It’s just one more way that crew members and passengers can minimize interaction.

In fact, not only will wine, beer and liquor be off the menu for the time being, but you may not even get to order any other beverage other than water. So if you want something a bit more flavorful, you may have to purchase it at the airport before getting on the plane.

Hey, anything in the name of staying safe during a pandemic, right—even if it means you can’t drink? To learn more about what airlines the booze ban applies to and why the change is important in limiting the spread of coronavirus, check out the video below.

Have you flown on an airplane since March, when this pandemic began? Do you think banning booze on an airplane will help limit the spread of coronavirus? What other restrictions do you think will help keep the journey safe for all?