Read all about it! More than 238,000 240,000 245,000 Americans already have died during the pandemic and deaths are growing at 1,000 or more a day. Infections in the United States surge past 10 million and crash through the 150,000-a-day mark. The markets rally on news of a vaccine that may be 90 percent effective, then fall back. Global airline capacity continues to slide. American cities and states place limits on bars and restaurants again. And more. Read up from the bottom for context.

Coronavirus Update for November 14, 2020

It's hard not to feel that the Coronavirus is out of control nationwide. The science-denying states are being pounded. The formerly science-denying states have acted too late. Even states that learned from the spring horrors seem helpless to restrain the latest wave. Here are today's developments:
        A day that will live in infamy ... until tomorrow Johns Hopkins says the nation racked up 184,514 new infections yesterday, another new and distressing daily record. The death toll: 1,431.
        Duplicate day The TSA says 881,579 people passed through airport checkpoints yesterday. That's 36.2 percent of 2019 volume, almost exactly duplicating Thursday's performance.
        New Mexico is going back into lockdown. Only "essential" businesses may operate. Dining establishments are limited to curbside pick-up and delivery. Residents must shelter in place and only travel for essential reasons. The restrictions start Monday for two weeks.
        North Dakota has reversed course and has adopted a mask mandate, including for indooor gatherings and businesses. Restaurants and bars must stop serving dine-in customers at 10pm. The mask mandate is effective today. The restrictions, which include a 50 percent cap on capacity during indoor dining hours, take effect on Monday. Earlier this week, desperate for medical staff, North Dakota said asymptomatic health care workers can continue to care for Coronavirus patients.
        Oregon Governor Kate Brown has issued a series of new Coronavirus restrictions. Beginning Wednesday, bars and restaurants can only offer take-away or delivery service. Indoor facilities such as gyms, museums and skating rinks must close entirely. Indoor and outdoor gatherings are limited to six people from two families. Grocery stores and pharmacies must limit their capacity. Anyone traveling to Oregon is required to quarantine for 14 days upon the arrival. The orders are in place until December 2.
        New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order allowing local authorities to close non-essential businesses at 8pm and impose a 10pm curfew on indoor dining.
        West Coast warning The governors of California, Washington and Oregon issued a joint travel advisory discouraging nonessential travel. It also requests visitors and residents returning from other states quarantine for 14 days. As noted above, that'll be mandatory in Oregon beginning Wednesday.
        Virginia will require restaurants and bars to stop serving liquor at 10pm and close by midnight. The restrictions go into effect on Sunday.
        Slip-sliding away Nationwide hotel occupancy declined to 44.2 percent for the week ending November 7, according to lodging recordkeepers STR. That is down fractionally from the week before. Occupancy had reached the 50 percent plateau late in the summer.
        British Airways this month is flying to just 14 destinations in the United States and Canada. Many of those runs aren't even being served daily. At its peak before the pandemic, BA was flying to around 30 cities in North America.

Coronavirus Update for November 13, 2020

California has become the second state after Texas to pass one million confirmed cases of Coronavirus. Here are today's other developments:
        Horror plus The thought of the United States registering 100,000 new Coronavirus cases in a day was unthinkable just a week ago. Yesterday, Johns Hopkins says the nation racked up 153,496 new infections, the first time above the 150,000 mark. The death toll, thankfully, fell below 1,000.
        Slump's off The TSA says 866,679 people passed through airport checkpoints yesterday. That's 36.6 percent of 2019 volume, about where October was in general. In fact, it sort of ends the fear of an off-season slump.
        Delta Air Lines says its no-fly list now includes almost 550 people barred for refusing to wear a mask during a flight.
        American Airlines is burning through $20 to $30 million in cash each day, according to chief financial officer Derek Kerr.
        Minnesota now offers free, at-home Coronavirus testing to any resident. The details are here.
        Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has urged residents to stay at home and only leave for work, to attend school, seek medical care, shop for groceries or pick up takeout food.
        That went well The first cruise ship in Caribbean waters has also yielded its first Coronavirus infections. The Miami Herald has the details.
        Spreadable Where are you most likely to come into contact with and contract the Coronavirus? In restaurants, coffee shops and gyms. The Washington Post has the details.

Coronavirus Update for November 12, 2020

The Coronavirus is running wild in all 50 states and hospitals in many places are at or beyond capacity. The federal response? Literally nothing. We're on our own. Here are today's other developments:
        But we're not talking about this ... Remember when President Trump said we'd stop talking about Coronavirus on November 4? Yeah, well, we're talking about it. Johns Hopkins says there were 143,231 new infections yesterday, the eighth consecutive day above 100,000. Death toll: a horrific 2,005, the worst single-day number since May.
        Back on track? The TSA says 674,633 people passed through airport checkpoints yesterday. That's 32.5 percent of 2019 volume, about where October was in general.
        The low cost of no travel Amazon says that it has saved nearly $1 billion on travel expenses so far this year.
        The unhappiest place on earth Disneyland remains closed and its related hotels and resorts are facing the obvious. All reservations through December 31 have been cancelled and the Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel are not taking 2021 bookings. The developments were first reported in WDW News Today, a Disney fan Web site.
        Reverse gear Eurocontrol, which handles Europe's air traffic system, says there were 10,046 flights in the skies yesterday. That's just 37.6 percent of 2019 volume, a reflection of the continent's broadening lockdown. The system had climbed back to 50 percent in the summer.
        San Francisco says indoor dining must shut down again starting tomorrow.
        Minnesota is cracking down on bars and restaurants. Social games such as darts and pool are prohibited. Counter service is barred. Maximum capacity is limited to 50 percent. Indoor dining must end at 10pm. The new rules take effect tomorrow.
        Where do we go from here? The Chicago Transit Authority faces a $375 million operating deficit in 2021.

Coronavirus Update for November 11, 2020

Texas has the dubious distinction of being the first state to pass the 1,000,000 mark in Coronavirus cases. Its death toll is now about 19,000. New York State still "leads" with 33,716 deaths, but most were registered in the early days of the pandemic. The Associated Press has some of the details. Here are today's other developments:
        September song The TSA says 596,475 people passed through airport checkpoints yesterday. That's 27.7 percent of 2019 volume, the poorest performance since September 22.
        Just horrible Johns Hopkins says that new confirmed Coronavirus cases in the United States reached a record 136,325 yesterday, the seventh consecutive day it passed the 100,000 mark. The death toll was 1,420. Hospitalizations nationwide have surged passed 60,000.
        Qantas has delayed the projected restart of service to North America. Now the airline says flights won't resume until next October at the earliest.
        New York State has imposed a 10pm curfew on gyms and any establishment with a liquor license. That includes bars and restaurants.
        Maryland says indoor dining establishments are now limited to 50 percent of capacity, down from 75 percent.
        Denmark has halted a plan to kill more than 15 million minks. The animals are reported to have a mutation of the Coronavirus. The Washington Post has the details.

Coronavirus Update for November 10, 2020

The Collins English Dictionary has chosen "lockdown" as word of the year. Its logic (which is not too hard to discern) is detailed here. Here are today's other developments:
        Look out below The TSA says 836,600 people passed through airport checkpoints yesterday. That's also 33.9 percent of 2019 volume, a sharp and notable drop from Sunday's 41.2 percent.
        Endless ugly Johns Hopkins says that new confirmed Coronavirus cases in the United States reached 111,433 yesterday, the sixth consecutive day it passed the 100,000 mark.
        United Airlines says that it will fly 52 percent of its domestic 2019 schedule and 43 percent of its international schedule in December. Both are slightly higher than previous estimates.
        Norwegian says about a million passengers flew with the carrier in the third quarter, down 96 percent from 3Q 2019. The low-fare carrier's future is in doubt now that Norway has refused to offer another bailout.
        Utah Governor Gary Herbert has issued a statewide mask mandate until November 23.
        Moscow restaurants now must close between 11pm and 6am. The curfew will be in effect from November 13 to January 15.
        Austria says all shops must close by 7pm to help facilitate the nationwide 8pm curfew. Airports and rail stations are exempt.

Coronavirus Update for November 9, 2020

President Trump's Coronavirus task force is finally having a meeting today after being in cold storage for weeks. Separately, President-Elect Biden named his Coronavirus team today and it includes one former Surgeon General (Vivek Murthy) and a vaccine whistleblower (Rick Bright). Here are today's other developments:
        The good ... Pfizer announced that its Coronavirus vaccine may have a 90 percent efficacy rate, a startling high number. Financial markets soared on the news.
        The bad ... New confirmed Coronavirus cases in the United States passed 100,000 yesterday, the fifth consecutive day it reached six figures. According to Johns Hopkins, there were 761,157 new cases for the week ended November 7, the worst one-week total of the pandemic. The United States will pass 10,000,000 cases today.
        And the ugly ... HUD Secretary Ben Carson, a literal brain surgeon, has tested positive for the Coronavirus, joining dozens of Trump Administration officials who have contracted the disease while downplaying the use of masks and social distancing. Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr. suggested Pfizer's disclosure today of its potential new vaccine was held until after the election to damage his father, who continues to dispute the results.
        Progress The TSA says that 973,020 people passed through airport checkpoints yesterday, the highest number since October 18. It's also 41.2 percent of 2019 volume, the best performance since the Labor Day traffic "rush."
        Presidential pile-in Fans of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are booking flights to and rooms in Washington for Inauguration Day on January 20. That is naturally driving up prices. The Biden-Harris ticket has not confirmed any public events, however. The Washington Post has the details
        Downward dog OAG, the airline industry schedulekeeper, says global airline capacity has declined for the 14th consecutive week. If current trends continue, global capacity will fall below 50 million seats a week by the end of the year, just 46 percent of 2019 capacity.
        Air Canada says its cash burn averages C$9 million a day, slightly better than the estimated C$15 million. The carrier says it may be forced to cut an additional 95 routes and nine Canadian staff stations to preserve cash.

Coronavirus Update for November 8, 2020

During his victory speech yesterday evening, President-elect Joe Biden promised to name his own Coronavirus task force on Monday. Here are today's other developments:
        Bottom looks like up The TSA says that 689,951 people passed through airport checkpoints yesterday. That's 36.1 percent of 2019 volume, the best performance since last Sunday and 2.5 points better than last Saturday. That breaks a recent string of down days.
        Saturday scourge Johns Hopkins says that there were 126,742 new Coronavirus infections in the United States yesterday, yet another record high. The death toll: 1,040, continuing the recent streak of deaths beyond the 1,000 mark.
        Finishing the hat (rack) The founders of 21c Museum Hotels traveled to each of their nine open properties to assess the situation during the Coronavirus. They also visited the two under construction. The Triangle Business Journal has the details.
        Mainly about Maine Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins led in no pre-election polls, but this week she unexpectedly retained her seat. Which makes this story, about her intervention to make sure hotel chains could cash in on government Coronavirus aid, especially relevant. The Bangor Daily News had the details in August.

Coronavirus Update for November 1-7, 2020

Read all about it! More than 230,000 235,000 238,000 Americans now have died during the pandemic as new cases surge beyond the 100,000-a-day mark. European cities and countries lock down again. The airlines and railroads follow by slashing service. After a decent October, U.S. travel interests fear for holiday business as the Coronavirus spreads again. Retail operations wobble nationwide. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for October 25-31, 2020

Read all about it! More than 225,000 230,000 Americans have died during the pandemic. The Trump Administration admits it won't fight the Coronavirus, preferring to tout still-nonexistent vaccines and therapeutics. Europe begins to shut down as flight traffic crumbles. The last week of electioneering is a referendum on how to handle what experts predict will be a "dark" winter. And more. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for October 18-24, 2020

Read all about it! More than 219,000 220,000 225,000 Americans have died during the virus pandemic and predictions for the next few months are dire. U.S. infection rates soar to mid-summer highs. Cruise lines consider reopening. The airlines and hotels try to imagine the future. Global lockdowns get more severe. Airlines face ugly numbers. And more. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for October 11-17, 2020

Read all about it! More than 214,000 215,000 219,000 Americans have died during the pandemic as the second wave takes hold around the world. Cities and countries eschew total lockdowns, but restrictions on daily life return. The airlines and hotel chains warn it will be years before 2019 travel patterns return. Airline third-quarter numbers are predictably dreary. And more. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for October 4-10, 2020

Read all about it! More than 209,000 210,000 214,000 Americans have died during the pandemic as a second wave engulfs many Western nations. Cities once past the worst of the Coronavirus begin new shutdowns. The White House Coronavirus crisis deepens. Airlines rethink international routes. And more. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for Sept. 27-October 3, 2020

Read all about it! More than 204,000 205,000 209,000 Americans have died during the pandemic as global deaths pass one million. Airlines trim fall/winter transatlantic flights since there's little chance countries will open their borders to the United States. And more. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for September 20-26, 2020

Read all about it! More than 199,000 200,000 204,000 Americans have died during the Coronavirus pandemic. Airlines and hotels cut back because there is little traffic to support more optimistic approaches. Europe resumes some limited lockdowns. Airline bosses expect the worst. And more. Click here for the day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for September 13-19, 2020

Read all about it! More than 193,000 195,000 199,000 Americans have died during the virus pandemic as positive cases pass the 6.5-million mark. Countries that once "beat" the virus experience a dreaded second wave. Flying numbers fall as both business and leisure travel slows. Hotels are closing forever. Ground borders in North America remain closed. And more. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for September 6-12, 2020

Read all about it! More than 188,000 190,000 193,000 have died during the pandemic in the United States. Schools and universities continue to cancel or curtail in-person classes. U.S. airlines press for another bailout, but the Senate omits it from its bill. The travel industry begins autumn cutbacks as the summer uptick flattens. And more. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for August 30-Sept. 5, 2020

Read all about it! The United States has now passed 6 million confirmed cases and 182,000 185,000 188,000 dead. That's about 24 percent of the global cases and 20 percent of the death toll. We are 4 percent of the world's population. Meanwhile, more and more 2021 events are cancelled as travel dials back from a brief summer "high." And more. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for August 23-August 29, 2020

Read all about it! The death toll from Coronavirus surges past 175,000 180,000 182,000 as European and Asian nations deal with resurgences of the virus. Flying hits the wall as daily traffic sags noticeably. Airlines globally begin to pull down service again. And more. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for August 16-August 22, 2020

Read all about it! As the nation begins two weeks of Zoom-like political conventions, the death toll from Coronavirus surges past 169,000 175,000 176,000. As many places open, others shut back down. Travel continues to wobble: Airline passenger volume flattens, hotel occupancy rates remain far below 2019 levels. And more. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for August 9-August 15, 2020

Read all about it! The U.S. Coronavirus death toll surges past 162,000 165,000 169,000. There are now more than 20 million cases worldwide and a quarter of them have been in the United States. Travel continues to be in an extended holding pattern as Americans fret about schools, the football season--and the post office. And more. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for August 2-August 8, 2020

Read all about it! The U.S. Coronavirus death toll spikes dramatically as the nationwide tally surges past 155,000 160,000 162,000. Countries that thought they'd tamed the virus are scaling back activities just as the August vacation season kicks into high gear. U.S. carriers and hotels face the wreckage of a shrunken travel industry. And more. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for July 26-August 1, 2020

Read all about it! The U.S. Coronavirus death toll surges past 146,000 150,000 154,000 as new cases and rising hospitalization rates tax hospitals in Florida, Texas and other Sunbelt states. European countries consider requirements for returning residents to test after holidays. The travel industry worries about the fragility--and shallow nature--of the "recovery." And more. Here's how we're covering it. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for July 19-25, 2020

Read all about it! The U.S. Coronavirus death toll surges past 140,000 145,000 146,000 while infections rage out of control throughout the Sunbelt. Countries close their borders again and reopenings in the United States are rolled back or curtailed. The travel industry faces a hard reality: There's no V-shaped recovery. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for July 12-18, 2020

Read all about it! The U.S. Coronavirus death toll surges past 135,000 140,000 while countries such as New Zealand can declare themselves virus-free. New York City, however, said it had its first death-free day since mid-March. Meanwhile, Florida is the new global epicenter of Coronavirus. Click here for day-to-day details.

Coronavirus Update for July 5-11, 2020

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 several states with key hubs--California, Arizona, Texas, Florida--report record-breaking infection numbers. Click here for day-to-day 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.