Internet Travel With Context
May 31-June 6, 2020
May 31-June 6, 2020
Read all about it! As the nation's Coronavirus death toll surges past 100,000 105,000 110,000, the nation's cities are hit with peaceful protests and violent riots. European carriers begin to fly again and the continent's major tourist countries plan to reopen to the world. U.S travel inches up from its mid-April floor. Here's how we're covering it. The latest items are at the top. Read up from the bottom for context.
Coronavirus Update for June 6, 2020
President Trump yesterday visited a cotton swab manufacturer in Maine. He didn't wear a mask, so the manufacturer had to junk the day's run of that precious commodity. USA Today has details. Here are today's travel developments:
American Airlines says Friday's passenger traffic was the highest since March. But it was 80 percent below a similar June Friday last year. It operated 2,328 flights yesterday, down from 6,911 in 2019. Washington warriors The billeting of out-of-state National Guardsmen at the JW Marriott Hotel in the District of Columbia has caused all sorts of political problems. The DCist has some of details. Samoan sojourn A Samoan rugby team flew to Perth, Australia, for a match on February 23. More than 100 days later, they still haven't made it home and out of quarantine. The BBC has details. Canadian hotels continue to suffer during this pandemic. Occupancy for the week ending May 30 was 21.4 percent, On the other hand, it's the first time in four weeks that occupancy was above 20 percent.Coronavirus Update for June 5, 2020
Sixteen states now report that Coronavirus infections are growing. That includes states that opened quickly, including Texas and Georgia, but also states like California, where there were strict lockdowns. Here are today's travel developments: Noted The TSA says 391,882 passed through airport checkpoints Thursday. That's best post-pandemic performance by far, just a hair under 15 percent of travel on a similar day in 2019. It's also in line with theory that business travel is driving the recovery--you know, if you can consider 15 percent of 2019 volume a recovery. Hotel occupancy in the United States inched up to 36.6 percent for the week of May 24-30. It was up 1.2 points from the previous week and up from the industry low of 22 percent for the week of April 5-11. Cheap fuel U.S. airlines paid an average of $1.38 for fuel in April, down from $2.06 in April, 2019. The $1.38 price is the lowest since April, 2016. ANZAC alterations New Zealand Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern doubts trans-Tasman travel to Australia can resume in July. She believes September is more practical. Both countries are essentially off-limits to all travelers. England will require face coverings on all public transportation effective June 15. That includes airplanes, ferries, trains and buses. Denmark will require face coverings at all airports effective June 15.Coronavirus Update for June 4, 2020
Without forgetting that we have no idea what the true Coronavirus death toll is in China and Russia, what do the four nations with the most deaths have in common? All four--United States, Britain, Italy and Brazil--are run by right-wing populists who came to power on the claim that the existing social order had failed. Here are today's travel developments: Delta Air Lines says its current load factor is 46-48 percent. American Airlines says it will fly 55 percent of its pre-pandemic domestic schedule in July. Its international schedule will be just 20 percent of the old normal. The airline said it carried about 110,000 passengers per day in May. (Remember, a connecting flyer is counted separately on each segment.) Marriott says all 350 of its hotels in China are now open. Occupancy rate nationwide is about 40 percent, the company claims. London/City Airport, the pocket facility near the Docklands, says it plans to reopen at the end of June. It's been closed since March 25. Aerolineas Argentinas, which was a mess before the pandemic, says it has laid off two-thirds of its 12,000 employees.Coronavirus Update for June 3, 2020
Harder to remember, but we're still in the middle of a pandemic. Here are today's travel developments: Tuesday troubles TSA statistics show 267,742 people passed through airports Tueday. That is 11.9 percent of 2019's total, a sharp drop from Sunday and Monday's performance. It seems to indicate a pattern: Business travel--traditionally strongest on Sunday, Monday and Friday--seems to be coming back before leisure travel. Alaska Airlines released some eye-watering statistics yesterday in a federal filing. Even though it reduced April capacity by 78 percent, load factor was just 15 percent. In May, capacity was down 79 percent and load factor was 40 percent. June capacity will be down 70-75 percent. Germany says it will lift travel restrictions from other European nations starting June 15. That includes EC countries, the United Kingdom and four Schengen nations not in the EC. Lufthansa says its first-quarter loss was 2.1 billion euros. It expects an even larger loss in the second quarter.Coronavirus Update for June 2, 2020
The world watched an American president turn the military--and military-like forces--on peaceful protesters in Washington so he could use the Bible as a prop in front of a church. And rioters at night stole the honor of peaceful protesters by day. What difference is there between the two thieves? And what international traveler will want to come to America when our streets are owned by rioters and a lawless leader? Here are today's travel developments: The 14 percent solution TSA statistics show 353,261 people passed through airports Monday. That is 14.1 percent of 2019's total and it seems that's where we are this week. Hong Kong now allows travelers to transit Hong Kong International Airport. However, the health minister says a 14-day mandatory quarantine for arriving overseas visitors will continue until September 18. Michigan has lifted the stay-at-home order and Governor Gretchen Whitmer says the state's bars and restaurants can reopen at 50 percent of capacity. Other businesses--gyms, hair salons, barber shops, indoor theaters and casinos--will remain closed.Coronavirus Update for June 1, 2020
Going up TSA statistics show 352,947 people passed through airport checkpoints on Sunday. It's the highest daily traffic volume since March 22. It is also 13.8 percent of similar-day 2019 travel. The latter number is up more than one percent than over the weekend. Come fly with them Nearly 60 European carriers resumed service last week or will do so this week, says OAG, the industry schedulekeepers. Included in the carriers resuming service is Turkish Airlines, which for weeks has grounded its entire global network. Portugal reopens to U.S. travelers on June 6. Continental Portugal, at least. Until July 1, however, visitors to Madeira and the Azores will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. Emirates Airline may need four years to resume flying to all of its pre-pandemic destinations. The comment came from the Tim Clark, the outgoing president. Details are here. Global aircraft traffic is 48 percent of pre-pandemic levels, says FlightRadar24.com.Coronavirus Update for May 31, 2020
Hope is hard to come by today. But it's not as if you can fly away to a better place. There was only room for two in the spaceship that departed yesterday from Cape Canaveral. Here are today's developments: Weekend update TSA statistics for people passing through airport checkpoints on Friday and Saturday indicate flying has now plateaued at around 12.5 percent of 2019 levels. Greece has made good on its promise to open the country for travelers by July 1. It has now published procedures for entry in June--it's tough for non-EC citizens--and then it's essentially open entry starting July 1. Hotel occupancy in the United States climbed back to 35.4 percent for the week of May 17-23, according to STR, the lodging statisticians. That compares to the nationwide low--21 percent--hit during the week of April 5-11. U.S. airlines grounded 3,054 aircraft--half the collective fleet--as of May 28, says the industry's trade group. The organization says the planes that are operating carry an average of 47 passengers per domestic flight.