Read all about it! The U.S. Coronavirus death toll surges past 130,000 135,000 and new virus infections are rising around the nation and around the world. The question is now what a post-Fourth travel scene will look like as states with key hubs--California, Arizona, Texas, Florida--report record-breaking infection numbers. Latest items are at the top. Read up from the bottom for context.

Coronavirus Update for July 11, 2020

Reluctant to shut down and much too eager to reopen, Sunbelt states are now paying the price: Rising number of Coronavirus cases. Surging hospitalizations. Shortage of PPE. Crowded ICU units. Now the mounting death toll. Welcome back to April. Here are today's travel developments:
        Who was that masked man? President Trump, who claims he looked like The Lone Ranger when he donned a black mask, finally wore one in public late today on a visit to Walter Reed Medical Center.
        Las Vegas shuttered its bars again. Those that do not serve food can only offer curbside delivery. Restaurants must also close their bar areas although they are allowed to serve alcohol to diners seated at tables.
        Europe skies are filling up again. Eurocontrol reports there were about 14,600 commercial flights on Friday. That's still down around 60 percent from last year, however.
        Private jets are reaping the benefit of a shriveled commercial system that many travelers are reluctant to use. The Los Angeles Times has details.
        Croatia welcomes you Europe has told Americans to stay away this summer, but Croatia has put out the welcome mat. Details are here.
        Plastic protection Don't like masks? Face shields are a coming trend. CNN reviews some popular options.

Coronavirus Update for July 10, 2020

The TSA says about 700,000 people passed through airport security checkpoints on Thursday. That is about 27 percent of 2019's similar-day volume. Last Thursday, however, passenger volume had reached 36 percent of 2019 volume. Here comes the boom--and not the good kind. Here are today's other travel developments:
        Sick security At least 1,000 TSA employees have tested positive for Coronavirus, according to the agency. The Washington Post has details.
        Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has ordered masks be worn in public. The edict takes effect today.
        Starbucks will require all customers wear masks indoors at company-owned stores effective July 15.
        Thai Airways has again delayed its restart. The current target date is August 1.
        Fiji Airways has delayed the relaunch of most routes until late August.
        Finnair has reopened its primary lounge at its Helsinki hub at Vantaa Airport.
        Coin of the Coronavirus Two large East Coast food chains--WaWa convenience shops and the Giant supermarkets--now require exact change if paying by cash. It is a response to a shortage of coins due to the close of the U.S. Mint during the pandemic. TheHill.com has details.

Coronavirus Update for July 9, 2020

All during June and into July, more people passed through TSA checkpoints on Wednesday than the previous Tuesday. But not yesterday. The Tuesday-to-Wednesday decline this week was small (fewer than 10,0000 people), but might indicate the downturn many are predicting. Here are today's other travel developments:
        Mask up, Atlanta Atlanta's mayor issued a mask mandate late last evening. It covers all public places in the city, including Atlanta/Hartfield airport. The move by Keisha Lance Bottoms, herself diagnosed with Coronavirus, is in contravention of a ruling by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. Yet Kemp has not challenged earlier mask orders from two other cities, Savannah and Athens.
        New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said Wednesday masks must be worn in public whenever people cannot maintain six feet of distance from others.
        Oh, Canada! A survey conducted by Toronto's Globe and Mail newspaper says Canadians overwhelmingly do not want to open the southern border with the United States. Details are here.
        Following Frankfurt Eurocontrol says Frankfurt, the primary continental Europe hub in pre-pandemic times, has moved back into the second-busiest slot. Aircraft traffic remains down by 67.4 percent, however.
        Ivy League fall sports, including football, are cancelled.

Coronavirus Update for July 8, 2020

There was a record 60,000+ new Coronavirus infections yesterday and today we will pass the 3-million mark. And while deaths have (at least temporarily) slowed, we're north of 132,000 lost lives. Here are today's travel developments:
        Tuesday's travelers The TSA says 641,761 travelers passed through airport checkpoints on Tuesday. That's 25.6 percent of 2019 volume, a sharp fall from the 36+ percent of 2019 volume last weekend.
        United Airlines is already cutting its August schedule, which was originally announced as 40 percent of 2019's operation. The carrier now says it'll run just 35 percent of 2020's levels.
        Hawaiian Airlines confirms that 14 flight attendants have been diagnosed with Coronavirus. Details here.
        Tri-State triage New York, New Jersey and Connecticut continue to try to limit exposure from people traveling from states with high infection rates. Three more--Delaware, Oklahoma and Kansas--were added to the list yesterday. That means arrivals from 19 states must self-quarantine for 14 days when they enter the Tri-State region.
        Melbourne, second-largest city in Australia, is going back into lockdown. Residents are ordered not to leave their places of residence except for grocery shopping, caregiving, exercise or work.

Coronavirus Update for July 7, 2020

In the midst of a massive upswing in Coronavirus infections, Florida officials have ordered all schools to reopen their physical facilities next month. Here are today's travel developments:
        Prepare for a hard landing The TSA says airport volume was 27.48 percent of 2019 levels on Monday, well short of Thursday and Friday's pre-holiday outbound rush. That gives additional credence to insiders who say advance bookings have plummeted as Coronavirus infections have spiked again.
        California crisis Six more counties--including San Diego in the south and Marin in the Bay area--have now been ordered to close bars and some indoor businesses. That brings the count to 23 of the state's 58 counties.
        Mask mandate Add Cleveland, Ohio, and Rochester, Minnesota, home of the Mayo Clinic, to the list of municipalities requiring masks in public places.
        Failing the bar Bars have not been permitted to reopen in Miami-Dade County, but so many people rushed to the bars in restaurants that inside service at restaurants is now barred beginning tomorrow. Outdoor dining will be limited to tables of four.

Coronavirus Update for July 6, 2020

Welcome back to the post-holiday reality, where Mark Meadows, the President's chief of staff, says battling the Coronavirus is a "state-to-state" issue. In other words, in the face of 130,000+ dead, the White House has checked out. Here are today's travel developments:
        Our top story tonight ... The TSA released the weekend's security-checkpoint numbers and there's plenty to digest in the update. Thursday was a post-pandemic high point--764,761 people and 36.61 percent of 2019 traffic--and then it slid from there. There were two other days of 700,000 people, but the percentage of 2019 volume fell: 32.91 percent on Friday, 19.89 percent on Saturday and 26.19 percent on Sunday.
        Swiss International now requires masks be worn in-flight. The mandate is effective today.
        Air France says it is cutting 7,500 employees. That's 6,500 at the main carrier and 1,000--or about 40 percent--at the HOP! commuter operation.
        Emirates, the largest operator of the mammoth Airbus A380, has grounded all 115 in the fleet. The carrier's boss, Tim Clark, insists all will be back in the air by April, 2022.
        Eurocontrol says aircraft traffic is now at about one-third of 2019 levels. There was a daily average of 11,500 flights in the skies.

Coronavirus Update for July 5, 2020

In case you are still unsure where the epicenter of America's Coronavirus is located, consider: New York State today reported fewer than 600 new cases. Florida reported more than 10,000 for the fourth consecutive day. Here are today's travel developments:
        Iceland, which requires most visitors to be tested in order to avoid quarantine, has lowered the price of tests. It now costs about US$65 if paid in advance compared to as much as US$108 previously.
        Eurostar on Thursday (July 9) resumes service between London/St. Pancras and Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Separately, however, it confirmed that it has cancelled all trains to the South of France this summer and next summer.
        Hoops update The National Basketball Season will resume an odd, all-in-Orlando season with inter-team scrimmages starting July 22. "Regular season" games begin again on July 30. This despite more reported Coronavirus cases on the 22 participating teams.
        Oops update Montana Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte has suspended his campaign because his wife attended an event with Kimberly Guilfoyle, a Trump campaign official and partner of Donald Trump Jr. Guilfoyle was diagnosed with Coronavirus before President Trump's event Friday at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. TheHill.com has details.
        That sinking feeling Before the pandemic, Venetians bemoaned the influx of mass tourism and claimed it was destroying "La Serenissima." Now Venice is realizing there is no Venice without tourism. The CBC has details.

Coronavirus Update for June 28-July 4, 2020

Read all about it! The U.S. Coronavirus death toll surges past 125,000 130,000. As the Coronavirus rages throughout the South, reality sets in about the pace of any possible "recovery" and reopenings. Europe drops most of its intra-continental travel restrictions, but most foreign visitors, including Americans, are still barred. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for June 21-27, 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. The Northeast states that suffered in earlier months now quarantine arrivals from the high-infection states. European carriers grow capacity as the continent prepares for a July 1 reopening that may not permit Americans to visit. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for June 14-20, 2020

Read all about it! The nation's Coronavirus death toll surges past 115,000 119,000. The second wave seems to be starting in states that opened early. More airlines around the world resume service. U.S. airlines add back some flights, but traffic remains below 20 percent of 2019's totals. And more. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for June 7-13, 2020

Read all about it! The nation's Coronavirus death toll surges past 110,000 115,000 and the number of confirmed cases passes the two-million mark. Protests around the nation overshadow the pandemic and its effects. New York City opens up just as London and Britain launch 14-day quarantines. Flight traffic jumps yet remains a small fraction of 2019 volume. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for 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. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for May 24-May 30, 2020

Read all about it! As the nation's Coronavirus death toll surges past 95,000 100,000 103,000, holiday travel "surges" back to about 13 percent of 2019's numbers. Some international travel resumes, but new bans are instituted, too. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for May 17-May 23, 2020

Read all about it! As the national Coronavirus death toll surges past the 85,000 90,000 95,000 96,000 mark, all eyes are on the states that opened quickly. Will their infection and death rates spike? Asia deals with zero tourism as bans on visitors continue. European countries sweat the decisions to open to some tourism. Flying is still down more than 90 percent compared to 2019, but surges for Memorial Day. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for May 10-May 16, 2020

Read all about it! The nationwide Coronavirus death toll surges past the 75,000 80,000 85,000 88,000 mark. European countries make plans for slow, phased openings. The United States is more chaotic. Airlines and airports go beyond masks to temperature checks. Travel is picking up--if you squint and squeeze the numbers. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for May 3-May 9, 2020

Read all about it! The nationwide Coronavirus death toll surges past the 65,000 70,000 75,000 78,000 mark. We enter the era of the masked flyer. New York closes its subways for the first time ever. Airline losses keep piling up. Traffic doesn't. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for April 26-May 2, 2020

Read all about it! The nationwide Coronavirus death toll surges past the 50,000 55,000 60,000 65,000 66,000 mark. Some states loosen restrictions while European countries will keep things closed into the summer. U.S. airline traffic begins to nudge up as airline earnings plunge. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for April 19-April 25, 2020

Read all about it! The nationwide Coronavirus death toll surges past the 35,000 40,000 45,000 50,000 52,000 mark, but progress is made in Italy, Spain, Austria and France. Governors start opening their states. Airlines begin to declare bankruptcy and the first tranche of first-quarter financial results are brutal. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for April 12-April 18, 2020

U.S. governors talk about when the states can reopen even as nationwide Coronavirus deaths surge past the 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 mark. Airlines whine about the terms of the bailout money they're getting from the nation's taxpayers. And only fools and self-important pundits know anything about the future of travel. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for April 5-April 11, 2020

Read all about it! As the world convulses with the waves of Coronavirus, the toll on the travel industry is revealed. Remaining flights are essentially empty, airports are shutting terminals and business travelers have nowhere to go--and aren't in a rush to get there. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for March 29-April 4, 2020

Read all about it! Domestic travel is down more than 90 percent from last year. More states impose stay-at-home orders. The death toll in Italy and Spain continues to skyrocket. And doctors and nurses are scrambling for supplies to help Coronavirus patients--and protect themselves. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for March 22-28, 2020

The new "new normal"? International transit airports barring transit passengers. U.S. states demanding arrivals from other U.S. states quarantine themselves on arrival. U.S. passenger volume dropping by 90 percent in a matter of days. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for March 15-21, 2020

Read all about it! The world is closing--and we watch in personal and transportation isolation. Countries are closing borders, airlines are all but shut and hotels are putting the keys in the door. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for March 8-14, 2020

Read all about it! Italy, Spain, France and Israel shut down. Other countries close their borders as the United States preps for what's to come. The Trump Administration botches the roll out of a ban on "all travel from Europe." U.S. carriers begin cutting service to the bone. Here's how it's happening. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for March 1-7, 2020

Read all about it! Italy emerges as the new Coronavirus hotspot so airlines begin making huge service cuts there. Meanwhile, Chinese airlines resume some flying. The chief rabbi of Israel says don't kiss the mezuzah. The travel industry starts tallying the financial damage. Here's how it's happening. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for February 15-29, 2020

Read all about it! The Coronavirus spreads around the globe. Japan, South Korea and Italy are hit hard and airlines quickly drop their flights. Tourism disappears and companies begin telling employees to curtail business travel. The Tokyo Summer Olympics may be threatened. Airlines begin rolling out gimmicky fee waivers to nervous flyers. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for February 1-14, 2020

Read all about it! The spread of the Coronavirus is still mostly affecting mainland China, but Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are losing flights and visitors, too. As Chinese tourists stay home, however, the travel industry learns how much they mean to airline traffic, cruise ships and hotels. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for January 23-31, 2020

Read all about it! As the Coronavirus worsens, airlines have reacted by slashing service to Hong Kong and mainland China. Retailers and food-service giants such as McDonald's are closing locations, too. And neighboring countries are closing their borders. Click here for the day-to-day details.