With the new year has come the newest phase of the pandemic, which I can only describe as a giant question mark. In fact, I will not even link current travel restrictions to this article, knowing that within a week every fact I cite will likely be outdated. These unending changes have consequences - we have seen countless travelers stranded in South Africa due to the onset of the Omicron variant, or paying thousands of dollars to quarantine if they test positive while abroad. It is because of these risks that many are fearful to leave home, even if borders are technically open.
For those accustomed to having one of the strongest passports in the world, the pandemic is likely the first time travel has not been as simple as getting on a plane. It is the first time many have had to consider variables like flight cancellations, entry restrictions, foreign bureaucracy, travel bans, layovers, and more. While the wealthy may continue to have the means to navigate these unforeseen circumstances, the majority find the risks too expensive to consider. Yet as people mourn the days of accessible travel, it is worth asking, was it ever really accessible?
It is no secret that the rise of budget airlines and hostels have helped to diversify travel - I know that I would not be able to travel as much as I have, or likely even travel at all, without them. And while it is worth celebrating that travel is no longer exclusively for the wealthy, few acknowledge that diversity often stops at national borders. While the pandemic has temporarily taken away some privileges enjoyed previously, it has not made any difference to the privileges that matter the most:
Passport privilege. It is often forgotten that not all passports are created equal. Americans may envy Europeans' ability to travel from Paris to London in a few hours, but they fail to realize that even the ability to think of that as a simple trip is putting them in the privileged class. For much of the world, even a layover in another country is complicated. For example, the United States requires most travelers to obtain a visa just to switch planes, which has an impact considering the country is home to six of the ten busiest airports in the world.
Currency privilege. Every time you hear someone say that a country is “so cheap,” and “it’s only one dollar for dinner,” think of what it is like in the reverse. Not only does the price of dinner differ according to what currency your paycheck is in, it also means buying an international flight is more realistic for some than others. The cost of Covid tests, sometimes reaching over $100, is an additional hurdle in this regard.
It is not unreasonable to be frustrated that travel is difficult now, or bitter that only the wealthy seem to be traveling without pandemic-related consequences. But real progress will only come by acknowledging this: if you only noticed the travel inequality during the pandemic, you were always privileged, no matter how much your overnight buses and 12-bunk hostels may have convinced you otherwise.
As countries further loosen restrictions and international travel begins to resume, it is crucial we remember that the experiences we plan to have will still be unattainable for the majority of the world, pandemic or not.