Internet Travel With Context
June 21-June 27, 2020
June 21-June 27, 2020
Read all about it! The U.S. Coronavirus death toll surges past 115,000 120,000 125,000 126,000. Deaths slowed last week, but the infection rate is growing in half the states. U.S. travel picks up. Northeast states that suffered in earlier months now quarantine arrivals from high-infection states. European carriers grow capacity as the continent prepares for a July 1 reopening that may not permit Americans to visit. Latest items are at the top. Read up from the bottom for context.
Coronavirus Update for June 27, 2020
Nine states now have a Coronavirus test positivity rate over 10 percent: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. Here are today's travel developments:
Don't blame Canada The European Community says Canadian travelers can visit the EU after July 1. But visitors from the United States are still banned. In fact, the "safe list" includes only around 15 countries outside the European Community and the Schengen Area. Florida has banned on-site alcohol sales at bars although takeaway sales are permitted. Booze can still be purchased for on-premise consumption if the operation has a restaurant license, however. Separately, Miami-Dade says its beaches will be closed over the Fourth of July weekend. United Airlines has set July 8 for the relaunch of twice-weekly flights to China. There will be two weekly runs on a San Francisco-Seoul/Incheon-Shanghai routing. Awful April The Department of Transportation says the ten U.S. "marketing network carriers" operated just 194,390 flights in April. That compares to 701,278 flights in March and 668,259 flights in April, 2019. Thailand has recorded its second consecutive month without an international tourist. Both April and May were officially zero, says the country's Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Thailand still bans flights from international destinations.Coronavirus Update for June 26, 2020
Texas continues to retreat more slowly than the Coronavirus is progressing. After the first tranche of pullbacks yesterday (see below), Governor Greg Abbott this morning ordered bars closed, restaurants to return to 50 percent capacity and businesses such as river-rafting outlets to shut. Meanwhile, here are today's travel developments: Examine the glass The TSA says 623,624 people passed through airport checkpoints Thursday. That's 23 percent of 2019 volume. Both are pandemic-era highs. But consider: This week's traffic growth from Monday (6/22) to Thursday (6/25) was 16,000 people. Last week, Monday-Thursday growth was north of 40,000. Given that the Coronavirus is running rampant in states with large hubs--Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Arizona--this could be the high point. It will be interesting to see what this weekend's numbers bring--and what next Thursday's numbers are. American Airlines confirmed today that it will resume selling middle seats on July 1. That aligns it with United Airlines. Delta, Alaska, JetBlue and Southwest airlines continue to restrict ticket sales to keep seats empty. Delta Air Lines chief executive Ed Bastian says "overall demand this summer [will] be only 25 percent of last summer’s revenue." He says airline traffic is "at least two years away from a return to normal." Orly Airport, the second-busiest facility serving Paris, reopened today. It closed on March 31. Half a loaf Eurocontrol says it expect aircraft traffic in European skies to reach 50 percent of 2019 levels by early August.Coronavirus Update for June 25, 2020
Who's messing with Texas? Governor Greg Abbott. He's once again had to slow reopening, tighten rules for public gatherings and stop elective surgeries in some areas. The state's infection rate is now above 10 percent, a significant red flag. Details here. Meanwhile, here are today's travel developments: Hmm... Wednesday is a traditionally slow travel day, but the TSA reports 494,826 passed through airport checkpoints yesterday. While that's around 19 percent of 2019 volume, it is again substantially below Monday's "recovery percentage." Hawaii says its mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for all arrivals will end on July 31. Beginning August 1, however, visitors can only avoid the quarantine if they can prove they've tested negative for Coronavirus within three days before arrival. Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has mandated masks or face coverings throughout public space in Nevada. That includes inside casinos. North Carolina will remain in Phase 2 reopening and not proceed due to rising Coronavirus rates. Governor Roy Cooper has mandated masks in all public places starting Friday at 5pm. Disneyland and Disney's other California theme parks will not reopen on July 15 as originally announced. A new date is pending. Qantas, the Australian carrier, says it does not expect to resume international flights for another 12 months. The sole exception? Trans-Tasman flights to New Zealand.Coronavirus Update for June 24, 2020
The United States now averages 30,000 new Coronavirus cases a day, equaling the worst performance since the pandemic began. Here are today's travel developments: Reversal of fortune New York, New Jersey and Connecticut were the epicenter of the virus in the early days of the U.S. infection. Now that those states have beaten back the virus, they're nervously eyeing the states where Coronavirus is surging. Governors of the three states announced today that arrivals from high-infection-rate states will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. At the moment, the threshold covers nine states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, North and South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Washington. Two of those states--Florida and Texas--had imposed quarantine restrictions on New Yorkers earlier this year. Walk, don't run The New York and Berlin marathons have now both been cancelled for 2020. Meanwhile, Major League baseball says it is planning a 60-game season starting in late July. Stay tuned on that one, though. Tuesday tumble Before and after the pandemic, Tuesday is a slow travel day. But yesterday's tumble, to 18.8 percent of 2019 volume, was notable given Monday's surge to 22.3 percent of 2019 volume. Delta Air Lines confirmed what we've said for weeks. Despite a few high-profile incidents where travelers were removed from flights before departure, there's essentially no penalty for not wearing a mask in flight. Consider these comments from Delta chief executive Ed Bastian. Washington State residents must now wear masks or face coverings in public. The order takes effect on Friday. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is now urging residents to wear masks in public and stay home where possible. He refuses to mandate masks, however. And reminder: Abbott pushed a fast reopening for Texas and personally hailed a hair-salon owner who opened in contravention of the state's previous stay-at-home order.Coronavirus Update for June 23, 2020
Global confirmed cases of Coronavirus have now passed the 9-million mark. Global deaths are nearing 475,000. Here are today's travel developments: Six of one According to the TSA numbers of airport security checkpoints, more than 600,000 people traveled on Monday for the first time since March 19. It represents 22.36 percent of 2019 volume on a similar June day. LAX is testing thermal cameras to check passenger temperatures at the Tom Bradley Terminal. The Los Angeles Times has details. Delta Air Lines has targeted Thursday, June 25, to resume its twice-weekly service to China. Miami-Dade now requires masks or face coverings in public. Well, at least seven cities in the county do. That includes Miami, Hialeah, Aventura and Key Biscayne. Canada says it will not reopen borders quickly. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was responding to pressure from travel-industry groups. Reuters has details. Full English As expected, England has set July 4 for a mostly full reopening. This includes bars, restaurants and pubs; movie theaters, museums and galleries; hotels and other lodgings; and outdoor playgrounds and gyms. Social distancing rules have been reduced as well. The changes do not include Scotland, Wales or other parts of the United Kingdom.Coronavirus Update for June 22, 2020
Dire numbers coming from dozens of states as the virus infection rate grows far beyond the increased testing rate. The mostly Republican governors still refuse to mandate masks and other safety members, however. Here are today's travel developments: Take a fifth According to the TSA numbers of airport security checkpoints through Sunday, the last eight days averaged 20.03 percent of 2019 traffic. On Sunday in specific, traffic was 21.71 percent of a similar June Sunday in 2019. Chalk Two weeks after reopening, Coronavirus infections are growing in Las Vegas. Forbes has details. When you wish upon an étoile. Disneyland Paris says it will begin to reopen on July 15. Kapu keepers Hawaii has controlled and nearly eliminated the Coronavirus. But the cost has been high. Tourism is basically stopped and all arrivals, including locals, must submit to a strict 14-day quarantine. Volunteers are helping police track down lunanui (rulebreakers). The AP has details. South Korea, one of the early successes in controlling the Coronavirus, now faces a second wave despite its best efforts. The BBC has details.Coronavirus Update for June 21, 2020
Happy summer! Happy Father's Day! Don't stand so close to your kids. The Coronavirus is still a thing ... a big thing. Here are today's travel developments: Florida's a hotspot ... and not in a good way. No state has been more aggressive in reopening--and no governor more contemptuous of basic virus-fighting tactics--than Florida and Ron DeSantis. It's all coming back to bite them on the proverbial butt. Florida is now registering record infections and the death toll is rising. In fact, more people died yesterday in Florida than in New York, which had been the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak. The Miami Herald has details. Florida's a not alone. New daily Coronavirus cases exceeded 30,000 nationwide on Friday, the first time that has happened in seven weeks. The Washington Post has details. Raleigh/Durham Airport handled a shade below 100,000 passengers in May. That was down 92.5 percent from May, 2019. Boston/Logan Airport handled about 1,200 takeoffs and landings a day in pre-pandemic. That number fell below 200 in late April and is now around 300 a day. Britain will reduce its two-meter (6-foot) social-distancing rule. Confirmation came from U.K. Health Minister Matt Hancock on a Sunday-morning television show. The U.K. is scheduled to allow pubs and restaurants to reopen on July 4 and reduced social-distancing rules would make it easier for those places to operate.