Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 1,004,000 and the national vaccination rate is stalled at 67%, yet surveys say Americans have stopped caring. Greece lifts its in-flight mask mandate on June 1. Spain changes its mind and allows unvaccinated travelers to enter with negative test. Travel to Paris and London comes roaring back. Apple delays requirement that employees return to the office. China is strangling Hong Kong by maintaining quarantine requirement for arrivals. Broadway requires audiences to remain masked through June 30. Schiphol Airport is so broken that KLM suspends ticket sales from Amsterdam. And more.

Coronavirus Update: Friday, May 27, 2022

North Korea is in the middle of a Covid crisis--bad health care, no vaccines and a massive wave of infections--but what the hermit kingdom is telling us makes no sense. It claims 3.3 million North Koreans have been infected, but there have been just 69 deaths. That fatality rate (0.002%) is literally unbelievable. The Associated Press has the details. Here are today's other developments:
        Here we go II   The TSA says that 2,379,860 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. It's 95.7% of comparative volume on a similar pre-holiday May Thursday in 2019. The next few days could be at or beyond 100% of 2019 numbers.
        The dam breaks in Amsterdam   Schiphol Airport is so broken--out-the-door long lines to check-in and clear security, among other things--that Amsterdam-based KLM has suspended ticket sales until at least Monday, May 30. Reuters has details.
        Commodore Perry to the white courtesy phone   Japan says it will reopen to tourists from 98 countries and regions starting June 10. That would end a two-year pandemic closure, but there's a catch. Visitors and tourists will only be allowed in as part of tour groups. Agence France-Presse has details.
        Back across the pond   The busiest long-haul routes from Europe? Looks very much like pre-pandemic times. London/Heathrow-New York/JFK leads with an average of 38 daily flights, more than twice the number of any other route. Heathrow-LAX is second (18), followed by Paris/CDG-JFK (17) and Heathrow-Newark (16). Busiest non-U.S. routes? Heathrow-Dubai with an average of 14 daily flights and Frankfurt-Seoul/Incheon with 13.
        Victory (kinda)   The average price of regular gasoline today is $4.599 a gallon, says the AAA. That's a whole tenth of a cent lower than yesterday's all-time record high $4.60.

Coronavirus Update: Thursday, May 26, 2022

You can't find this one on Google Maps. Employees for a third-party vendor that updates Google Maps are resisting a return to the office. Their reasoning: Housing costs are so high in Washington State that they all live far away from the office and record-high gasoline prices make it impossible to come to work. The New York Times has the details. Here are today's other developments:
        Here we go ...   The TSA says that 2,147,736 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. It's 94.6% of comparative volume on a similar pre-holiday May Wednesday in 2019. The next few days could be at or beyond 100% of 2019 numbers.
        Green Acres for real   Eight of the 10 largest cities in the United States lost population during the first year of the pandemic. New York, Los Angeles and Chicago were the big losers. The Associated Press has details.
        Hotels are happy. Us? Not so much ...   Average nightly occupancy at U.S. hotels was 68.6% for the week ended May 21. That's just 3.5 points below 2019 average occupancy, according to lodging statisticians STR. Average daily rates were $151.75, more than 13% above 2019 levels.
        Death by tenths of cents   The average price of regular gasoline today is $4.60 a gallon, says the AAA. That's another all-time record, but you can take solace that the rises are moderating. Today's price is just a tenth of a cent higher than yesterday and a few tenths higher than Monday.

Coronavirus Update: Wednesday, May 25, 2022

More than one in five adult Covid survivors in the United States may develop long Covid, a new CDC study suggests. Among patients 65 and older, the number is even higher: one in four. The New York Times has the distressing details. Here are today's other developments:
        Running start II   The TSA says that 2,020,742 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. It's 82.3% of comparative volume of a similar pre-holiday May Tuesday in 2019.
        No shades of gray   The Gray Report, the official British government inquiry into Partygate, found that members of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's team "spilled red wine on the walls, vomited, got into a fight, used a karaoke machine, and continued festivities until 4am while the country was subject to strict curbs on socialising." Johnson's response? Essentially, he doesn't know nuttin' about hostin' no parties. The Guardian has details.
        Sketches of Spanish tourism   Hotels in Spain increased rates by 36% in April compared to last year, according to government statistics. Tourist arrivals in April were 86% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels, according to official figures. Reuters has details.
        Vienna dissents   The rush to end mask mandates ends at Vienna's public transport options. The Austrian capital is maintaining a mask requirement on its transportation even though the rest of the country drops mandates next week.
        A pause on the madness II   The average price of regular gasoline today is $4.599 a gallon, according to the AAA. That's another all-time record, but it is just one-tenth of a cent higher than yesterday.

Coronavirus Update: Tuesday, May 24, 2022

China couldn't be destroying Hong Kong faster if it tried. (By the way, it's trying ...) Outgoing city boss Carrie Lam, a mainland stooge, says Hong Kong is unlikely to lift testing and quarantine requirements for visitors before the end of her term on June 30. It means the city will essentially be verboten for most tourists until at least July. Bloomberg News has those details. And Nikkei of Japan says there are just 34 daily flights scheduled from Hong Kong International Airport in June. Before the pandemic, Hong Kong was Asia's busiest hubs. Here are today's other developments:
        A running start   The TSA says that 2,329,044 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. It's 92.7% of comparative volume of a similar pre-holiday May Monday in 2019.
        Everyone's the Phantom on Broadway   Broadway theaters will continue to insist audiences wear masks during performances through at least June 30. The New York Times has details.
        Hooptie heaven   The high cost of replacing automobiles in these pandemic times is driving American drivers to keep their vehicles longer. The average age is now a record-breaking 12.2 years. The Wall Street Journals has details.
        Welcome to the Hotel California   A hotel in Weston-super-Mare--that's Somerset, England--has turned all of its room into a shelter for Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. The owner, who emigrated to England from Cyprus, has pledged all 54 rooms to immigrants until the end of the year. The local paper includes video coverage of the property by BBC News.
        School daze   Philadelphia has re-imposed a mask mandate in all of its schools. Marketwatch has details.
        A pause on the madness   The average price of regular gasoline today is $4.598 a gallon, according to the AAA. That's another all-time record, but it is just two-tenths of a cent higher than yesterday, so it's almost a pause on the madness. Regular gas averaged $3.03 a gallon last year. You know, if you can remember last year ...

Coronavirus Update: Monday, May 23, 2022

Companies nationwide have begged, cajoled and ordered employees to return to the office. The response from workers? Mixed. Apple, however, has suspended its requirement that employees return to the office this month. The reason? The rapid rise of Covid cases. The New York Times has details. Here are today's other developments:
        Holiday preview   The TSA says 6.68 million people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints this weekend (Friday-Sunday). It's 95.7% of comparative volume of a similar weekend in 2019--and an ominous preview of what could be a chaotic Memorial Day weekend.
        Keep ignoring this   There were 796,108 new Coronavirus cases in the United States during the last week, according to Johns Hopkins. The death toll was 2,434. Keep ignoring the fact that we're back over 100,000 new infections a day and rising infections have always presaged a rise in the death toll.
        Greece unmasked   The Greek government has confirmed that it would lift its in-flight mask mandate and the requirement to wear masks in indoor public places. Changes are effective June 1.
        Spain changes its mind   Just last week, Spain insisted Americans and other non-EU travelers who have not been vaccinated could not visit the country for another month. On Saturday, however, the Spanish government lifted the ban effective immediately. Now unvaxxed travelers can enter with proof of a negative test.
        The China syndrome   The Chinese province of Henan has ordered its nearly 100 million people to take a Covid test every two days, an unprecedented step as the country grapples with an Omicron-fueled surge. Agence France-Presse has details.

Coronavirus Update: Weekend, May 21-22, 2022

Americans have apparently checked out of the Coronavirus pandemic. Infections are rising again and a third of us remain unvaxxed, but only a third of Americans said there was significant risk in returning to their "normal pre-coronavirus life." TheHill.com has details. Here are this weekend's other developments.
        We'll always have Paris   Paris tourism is roaring back as European and American visitors flock to the City of Light. Hotel prices in April, for example, were up 17% from 2019. Bloomberg News has details.
        London luxe   London is still struggling to regain its tourism footing, but the British capital's super-deluxe hotel segment is booming again. The existing properties are regaining occupancy and renovating and a slew of new luxe lodging is in the works. Bloomberg News also has those details.
        Down again   Three cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy who have refused the Covid vaccine will not be commissioned as military officers. They will graduate with bachelor's degrees, however. The Associated Press has details.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for May 14-May 20

Read all about Covid! Traffic at Cathay Pacific continues to be down almost 99% since the beginning of the pandemic. Regular gasoline prices continue to shatter records. Not a single automobile was sold in locked-down Shanghai in April. Travel's contribution to the national GDP falls by half-point compared to pre-pandemic days. Britain bars Russian airlines from selling U.K. airport landing slots. Weekend traffic on Vancouver public transportation is returning to pre-pandemic levels faster than on weekdays. A Japanese man accidentally received an entire community's Covid relief funds--and he gambled them all away. And much more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for May 7-May 13

Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass the one-million mark and Europe's toll passes two million. The European Union lifts its airport and in-flight mask mandate next week, but Spain and Italy will maintain their restrictions. United Airlines predicts "unprecedented" leisure travel demand for Memorial Day and Fourth of July. New Zealand says it will open to flights and cruises on July 31. The busiest day of the year for global airline capacity? OAG says it will be August 12 with 16 million seats available. France drops mask mandate on all forms of transportation. Europe is at 85% of 2019 flights--but Germany is doing much worse as Istanbul passes 2019 levels. SAS cuts summer schedules by 5%. Revival of U.S. rail services continues to lag. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for April 30-May 6

Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 996,000 while the national vaccination rate is stubbornly stalled below 67%. U.S. airline traffic is falling from the post-pandemic boom of mid-April. Italy has dropped some Covid-era paperwork for visitors. Greece has dropped all Coronavirus-related entry rules. Nationwide average gasoline prices rose 12 cents this week. Things are not going well at all in Shanghai, locked down since March 29. Europe nears 85% of pre-pandemic aircraft volume. Hilton and Marriott say hotel demand, even business travel, is getting back to something like normal. British Airways is cutting flights again. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for April 23-April 29

Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 993,000, but the national vaccination rate is stalled below 67%. Etihad Airways says 90% of business class passengers are now leisure flyers. BART in San Francisco reinstates a mask mandate. Europe flying passes 80% of 2019 levels. Israel drops indoor mask mandate and South Korea drops outdoor one. Covid was the third-leading cause of death in the United States last year. Asian airlines carried just 11% of 2019's international traffic in March. Italy and Germany extend some Covid regulations, but Malaysia is loosening up and Bulgaria and Lithuania end all Covid entry requirements. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for April 16-April 22

Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 990,000. National vaccination rate inches toward 67%. Florida judge's ruling against CDC travel mask mandate led U.S. airlines and Amtrak to drop mask rules, but some airports and local transit systems keep theirs. The Justice Department will appeal, but the CDC won't demand emergency legal action to reinstate mask rules. Canada says it won't drop its mask mandate. Air Canada tops 100,000 passengers in one day for the first time in more than two years. Uber and Lyft dump their mask mandate. Spain ends indoor masking policy after more than 700 days. Even as travel booms again, Italy and the Netherlands expect sharp declines in volume compared to 2019. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for April 9-April 15

Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 988,000. The national vaccination rate still below 67%. The CDC that says the in-flight mask mandate will continue through May 3. JetBlue Airways has another weekend meltdown while airline traffic was close to 2019 "normal." The FAA proposes more than $150,000 in fines for two disruptive passengers. Philadelphia restores mask mandate for indoor public places. Thailand and Hong Kong are eliminating Covid rules. Vienna and South Korea loosen theirs. Traffic in Europe's skies nears 80% of 2019 volume, but travel in locked-down China plunges to 20% of normal. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for April 2-April 8

Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 984,000. The national vaccination rate is mired below 67%. White House Covid czar says the test requirement for travelers returning to the United States stays. Another airline meltdown over the weekend did not stop travelers flying at 92% of 2019 levels. British carriers cancel hundreds of flights due to Covid sick-calls. Airlines jockey Australia and New Zealand routes and schedules as the countries reopen to travelers. Ryanair and Turkish Airlines now have more capacity than in 2019, but Lufthansa and SAS remain down more than 30%. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for March 26-April 1

Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 980,000. The national vaccination rate is stuck around 66% and vaccinations have fallen to the lowest rate since December, 2020. A new passenger punch-up at Southwest Airlines. January passenger traffic in the United States remained a third below 2019 "norms," but 19 days in March surpassed 2 million travelers at U.S. airports. Europe aircraft traffic continues to climb despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Two late legal challenges to the mask mandate. Global airline capacity grows 3% during the first week of spring. Airline traffic in Asia was down more than 90% in February. Some flyers are still fighting for refunds on flights the airlines canceled during the pandemic. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for March 19-March 25

Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 975,000. The national vaccination rate is stalled around 66%. Hong Kong and Singapore reopen to visitors in April. Austria reimposes a mask mandate as new infections rise again. Shanghai Disneyland closes again. China issues new stay-at-home orders for millions of residents. Spring Break traffic is near 2019 "norms" and is 11 times the volume of 2020, when Coronavirus first hit travel. A chain of Covid testing sites named O'Hare performed about how you'd expect. Hotel occupancy is bouncing back. South Africa drops testing for vaccinated travelers entering the country. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for March 12-March 18

Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 970,000, but new cases have plunged since January peaks. The national vaccination rate finally reaches 66%. Canada drops testing requirement for fully vaccinated visitors starting on April 1. Flying for Spring break is roaring. Heathrow Airport and British airlines drop their mask mandates. New Zealand and South Korea welcome tourists again starting in April. Domestic airline traffic fell 27.3% in 2021. Global seat capacity remains 22% below pre-pandemic highs. Miami Airport reports busiest day in its history. Shenzhen locks down and China closes parts of Shanghai, too. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for March 5-March 11

Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 965,000 and the global death toll has passed six million. The national vaccination rate is stalled below 66%. Hawaii and Ontario drop their indoor mask mandates. Ireland, Belgium, Romania and Hungary drop their entry restrictions, but Luxembourg says leisure travelers are still not welcome. Taiwan and Saudi Arabia loosen Covid restrictions. Malaysia reopens to vaccinated tourists on April 1. United Airlines says its unvaccinated employees may return to work. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for Feb. 26-March 4

Read all about Covid! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 956,000 while national vaccination rate remains below 66%. Hotels are charging us lots more while they offer much less. Hawaii will drop entry tests and proof-of-vaccination rules before the end of the month and Bali ends mandatory quarantines on March 14. Philadelphia and Boston drop indoor mask mandates and New York City will end its proof-of-vaccine rules. Bad drivers created havoc on the nation's roads during the height of the pandemic. U.S. airline traffic during the last weekend of February reached 90% of 2020 volume. U.S. carriers operated 78% of pre-pandemic schedules in 2021. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for February 19-25

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths top 944,000 as the national vaccination rate stalls around 65%. Boston drops proof-of-vaccination rules and Los Angeles County ends mask mandate. England drops all Coronavirus restrictions. Ireland drops masking requirements. EU advises member nations to end Covid entry rules and testing and Italy drops them effective March 1. The DOT says 2021 air traffic was 27% below 2019's record total as passengers skewed more domestic than ever before. Washington-area airports were around 60% of 2019 volume. Atlanta/Hartsfield was about 68%. Notable exception? Austin/Bergstrom Airport. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for February 12-18

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths top 931,000. Washington ends proof-of-vaccine requirement for most businesses. Business travel flying continues to lag leisure numbers. France ends entry-testing requirement for fully vaccinated visitors. Flight volume between U.S. gateways and London/Heathrow remains down sharply. Two major cruise lines and Disneyland drop mask mandates. Germany, Austria and the Netherlands slowly lift national Covid restrictions. Switzerland ends all its Coronavirus entry requirements. Canada says it will accept some antigen tests to enter the country. Hawaii is last state to maintain all its mask mandates. Two years into the pandemic, Cathay Pacific is carrying fewer than 800 passengers a day and Hong Kong is turning hotel rooms into hospital space. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for February 5-11

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths top 915,000 as the national vaccination rate finally reaches 65%. Nevada abruptly lifts indoor mask mandate hours before bettors flood casinos on Super Bowl weekend. Australia opens it borders on February 21. Spain expects two-thirds of 2019's travel volume this year. Italy drops outdoor mask mandate and Finland ends testing for travelers entering the country. California, New York, Nevada and a slew of other states end some mask mandates. Hawaii won't require a booster shot to visit. Malaysia may open borders in March. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for Jan. 29-February 4

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths top 896,000. National vaccination rate remains below 65%. Denver is ending its mask and vaccine mandates, but New York State extends its mask rules. China's largest airlines may have lost US$7 billion in 2021. Iowa will end all Covid measures and data reporting. Dominican Republic now the most visited country in the Caribbean. Scandinavian countries dismantle their Covid restrictions. The U.S. Virgin Islands no longer requires entry tests for vaccinated travelers. New Zealand may welcome visitors from North America as early as spring. Winter storms play havoc with daily travel. Denver Airport traffic in December was down only about 7% compared to 2019. Spain retains, then scraps, its outdoor mask mandate. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for January 22-28

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths top 878,000. National vaccination rate stalls around 64%. U.S. flying in January plummets. European nations begin lifting or loosening Covid rules. Asia travel all but disappeared last year. Worldwide airline passenger traffic in 2021 was just 42% of 2019 levels. Four of the ten largest European airlines are operating at or below 50% of 2019 capacity. Major routes between Europe and the United States have as many as 44% fewer flights than in 2019. The United States and China continue war over seat capacity. Hong Kong cuts arrival quarantines to 14 days. Rio delays its Carnival parades. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for January 15-21

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths top 860,000. The national vaccination rate hangs below 64%. U.S. flying plunges while winter storm leads to thousands of cancellations over the King Day weekend. Two transatlantic flights return to departure airports after passengers disrupted operations. Europe aircraft traffic is at lowest rate since September and Eurostar passengers fell 85% last year compared to 2019. About 33 million seats disappear from worldwide winter schedules as airlines slash schedules to cope with Omicron. Sweden, Austria and Thailand loosen entry rules. Emirates Airline won't accept proctored antigen tests from U.S.-bound flyers even though they are accepted by the United States for re-entry. Amtrak cuts schedules through March. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for January 8-14

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 846,000. The national vaccination rate crawls past 63%. U.S. post-holiday flying numbers tumble. American Airlines says it won't fire vaccine holdouts. United says sick calls are extremely high while Delta threatens flight attendants over time off for positive tests. Qantas, Finnair and Virgin Australia slash schedules. Amtrak says fiscal 2022 revenue will be down 20% on pre-pandemic levels. New Orleans reinstates indoor mask mandate, but the Paris outdoor mask rule is overturned. Sweden orders restaurants and bars to close early. Heathrow Airport traffic plunges in December. The United States continues fighting with China over flights and schedules. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for January 1-7

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 834,000. The national vaccination rate reaches 63%. France clamps down on unvaccinated U.S. visitors while Cyprus demands negative PCR tests of all arrivals. Hong Kong and Macao ban all flights from the United States, Canada and other countries. England and Ireland ease testing rules for entry. Bad weather, Covid absentees and dreadful airline management lead to an end-of-the-year flying disaster that has dragged into this week. Global airline seat capacity was down 35% in 2021. Every cruise ship sailing in U.S. waters has reported Coronavirus cases and the CDC is investigating. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

2021 Daily Coronavirus Updates

The year began with hope and vaccines. It ended with Omicron, new lockdowns and restrictions that foiled plans for a return to the "normal" of travel. You can see everything we posted in bullet-point form, grouped into weekly segments, by clicking 2021's archives.

2020 Daily Coronavirus Updates

We began day-by-day tracking of the Coronavirus' effect on travel in late January last year. You can see everything we posted in bullet-point form, grouped into weekly segments, by clicking 2020's archives.