A vapor-liquid contact tray apparatus for use in a separation column, said apparatus comprising a tray and a tray support (804, 904, 1004), wherein: said tray support (804, 904, 1004) comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: a ring underlying and supporting a circumferential region of the tray, a partial ring underlying and supporting a circumferential region of the tray, a bracket underlying and supporting a circumferential region of the tray, a flange underlying and supporting a circumferential region of the tray, a cross beam underlying and supporting a chordal region of the tray and a tray panel forming a cross beam supporting a portion of an adjacent tray panel or panels of the tray; a plurality of support-area-aeration apertures (803, 903, 1003) are formed in the tray laterally adjacent to the tray support (804, 904, 1004); one or more of the plurality of support-area-aeration apertures (803, 903, 1003) are at least partially covered by a cover (808, 908) said cover being positioned to interact with vapor passing through the support-area-aeration aperture, wherein the cover (808, 908) comprises a canopy (810, 910, 1010) disposed above the tray and at least partially covering the support-area-aeration aperture (803, 903, 1003), wherein the canopy (810, 910, 1010) is connected to one or more legs (812, 912, 1012) disposed through the support-area-aeration aperture (803, 903, 1003) being vertically movable within the support-area-aeration aperture (803, 903, 1003) to allow variation of the height of the canopy (810, 910, 1010) from the tray deck and being provided with one or more feet (814, 914, 1014) being disposed under the tray, wherein the feet (812, 912, 1012) interacts with the underside of the tray to prevent removal of the cover (808, 908) from the tray, so that as the canopy (810, 910, 1010) moves away from the tray it tilts to an oblique angle with respect to the tray exposing an opening pointing in the direction of the underlying tray support (804, 904, 1004) and as the canopy (810, 910, 1010) moves further away from the tray deck, the opening pointing in the direction of the underlying adjacent tray support (804, 904, 1004) grows larger thereby biasing more vapor (806, 906) in the direction of and to a position above the tray support (804, 904, 1004) such that greater than 75% of vapor (806, 906) passing through the support-area-aeration aperture (803, 903, 1003) is directed laterally across the tray and over the underlying tray support (804, 904, 1004). said tray support (804, 904, 1004) comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: a ring underlying and supporting a circumferential region of the tray, a partial ring underlying and supporting a circumferential region of the tray, a bracket underlying and supporting a circumferential region of the tray, a flange underlying and supporting a circumferential region of the tray, a cross beam underlying and supporting a chordal region of the tray and a tray panel forming a cross beam supporting a portion of an adjacent tray panel or panels of the tray; a plurality of support-area-aeration apertures (803, 903, 1003) are formed in the tray laterally adjacent to the tray support (804, 904, 1004); one or more of the plurality of support-area-aeration apertures (803, 903, 1003) are at least partially covered by a cover (808, 908) said cover being positioned to interact with vapor passing through the support-area-aeration aperture, wherein the cover (808, 908) comprises a canopy (810, 910, 1010) disposed above the tray and at least partially covering the support-area-aeration aperture (803, 903, 1003), wherein the canopy (810, 910, 1010) is connected to one or more legs (812, 912, 1012) disposed through the support-area-aeration aperture (803, 903, 1003) being vertically movable within the support-area-aeration aperture (803, 903, 1003) to allow variation of the height of the canopy (810, 910, 1010) from the tray deck and being provided with one or more feet (814, 914, 1014) being disposed under the tray, wherein the feet (812, 912, 1012) interacts with the underside of the tray to prevent removal of the cover (808, 908) from the tray, so that as the canopy (810, 910, 1010) moves away from the tray it tilts to an oblique angle with respect to the tray exposing an opening pointing in the direction of the underlying tray support (804, 904, 1004) and as the canopy (810, 910, 1010) moves further away from the tray deck, the opening pointing in the direction of the underlying adjacent tray support (804, 904, 1004) grows larger thereby biasing more vapor (806, 906) in the direction of and to a position above the tray support (804, 904, 1004) such that greater than 75% of vapor (806, 906) passing through the support-area-aeration aperture (803, 903, 1003) is directed laterally across the tray and over the underlying tray support (804, 904, 1004).