Coronavirus Impact on Travel

[FartingMonk 3,608]

Had a trip to Lancaster PA booked in July.  Paid 500 for two tickets.  Saw price had dropped to 97 per ticket round trip.  Went to United website and got 500 dollar voucher and then rebooked same flight.

[Shaddie 1,651]

1 hour ago, FartingMonk said:

Had a trip to Lancaster PA booked in July.  Paid 500 for two tickets.  Saw price had dropped to 97 per ticket round trip.  Went to United website and got 500 dollar voucher and then rebooked same flight.

I know things are changing super fast. Last time I looked on FlyerTalk, United was giving vouchers but not allowing you to use any residual value. Hope that is not the case for you. 

[CooterBrown 18,015]

Read an article this morning that on WED there were 239,000 airline passengers nationwide.  A normal day is 2.5M. ABIA had to be a ghost town.  Are all the restaurants and shops open at the airport? If so, there had to many more workers than passengers at the airport at any given time.

The president of SWA said that every flight is a major money loser. 

Edited March 27, 2020 by CooterBrown

[AustinMT 952]

8 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

Read an article this morning that on WED there were 239,000 airline passengers nationwide.  A normal day is 2.5M. ABIA had to be a ghost town.  Are all the restaurants and shops open at the airport? If so, there had to many more workers than passengers at the airport at any given time.

The president of SWA said that every flight is a major money loser. 

If airlines don’t use their gates they risk losing them.

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

Just now, AustinMT said:

If airlines don’t use their gates they risk losing them.

Even now ? !

[AustinMT 952]

1 hour ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Even now ? !

I have not seen anything suspending the requirements, but you think they would

[Shaddie 1,651]

8 minutes ago, AustinMT said:

I have not seen anything suspending the requirements, but you think they would

Looking 6+ months I don’t think there is anyway airports start confiscating gates. 
 

There will be airlines completely gone and reduced schedule for all of them. Hope I am wrong but just don’t see any way it comes back just like it was. 

[utee94 15,835]

1 hour ago, Shaddie said:

Looking 6+ months I don’t think there is anyway airports start confiscating gates. 
 

There will be airlines completely gone and reduced schedule for all of them. Hope I am wrong but just don’t see any way it comes back just like it was. 

I see just as many flights as before, 6-9 months out.  I see more flights than before, several years out.  The world population continues to increase.  International business continues to increase.  It's just simple math.

But there could certainly be some carriers that fail and result in some consolidation in the market.

[texasdago 7,575]

2 hours ago, AustinMT said:

If airlines don’t use their gates they risk losing them.

To who?

[Brisketexan 105,180]

45 minutes ago, texasdago said:

To who?

The lizard people.  Duh.

[Armybrat 40,857]

48 minutes ago, texasdago said:

To who?

*whom

[Junior Miller 1,502]

1 hour ago, Armybrat said:

*whom

[Landomatic 3,813]

4 hours ago, texasdago said:

To who?

Apparently you’re not familiar with AustinMT’s work.  And by work, I mean lack of intelligence.

[AustinMT 952]

4 hours ago, texasdago said:

To who?

If they stop using their gates, they can be reallocated by the airport to other airlines

[Ths71 472]

Goddamn that sounds like fun.  I might die but it sounds fun.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Ted Lange 16,110]

Boarding groups 1 and 2 and gonna be empty next year. 

[Eggo 3,978]

On 3/27/2020 at 3:58 PM, AustinMT said:

If they stop using their gates, they can be reallocated by the airport to other airlines

The point is no airline is in a position to extend themselves further at the moment. 

[AustinMT 952]

46 minutes ago, Eggo said:

The point is no airline is in a position to extend themselves further at the moment. 

Ahh, I’ll bet Delta would be happy to pay for gates at Love Field, and fly empty planes to keep them

Edited March 28, 2020 by AustinMT

[ernest_t_bass 1,196]

Copa Airlines update - We booked in June 2019.  We have until June 2021 to use the flight credit (no refund), but we have to arrange travel by June 18, 2020.  A crooked fucking airline.

[bluto 4,934]

Got bored and drove around love field today, creepy stuff. Shuttle parking lots have about a half row of cars. Garages have about 30-40 cars on first level each. Outside curbside areas about 15 ppl total. Unreal, esp when thinking every airport is prob like that.

Then pulling out of their seeing another swa flight heading down the runway

[zman13 180]

Anyone booked any new travel after July? Wondering if it's time to make plans for late summer or fall.

[4th&Five 41,571]

Of 2021? You should be fine. 

[utee94 15,835]

I booked another week at a state park in July, added to my already-existing reservation.

 

 

[Shaddie 1,651]

34 minutes ago, zman13 said:

Anyone booked any new travel after July? Wondering if it's time to make plans for late summer or fall.

I know prices are good right now but don’t  get sucked in. 
 

The airlines haven’t started cutting flights that far out yet but it will happen. My guess is they will keep a full schedule until they get that government money and then cuts will be enormous. Chances are you would really have to scramble to get to destination and also get back. 

[NoName 16,364]

On 3/27/2020 at 8:21 AM, CooterBrown said:

The president of SWA said that every flight is a major money loser. 

has SWA cut flights like United did?

[Jive Turkey 12,630]

my cousin is a flight attendant.  she has 3 flights she's working this week.  a total of 18 passengers combined on the 3 flights.

[HiggyBaby 2,543]

^ I fly for one of AA’s regional carriers. My last few flights have all had less than 10 folks. Last flight had three if don’t count the two deadheading crew members. Seems like all we are doing is flying each other to work.
USA Today published a good summary of why we are still flying.


https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2020/03/31/coronavirus-us-crisis-why-airlines-still-flying/2918233001/?fbclid=IwAR2OVu6IfLyJ9Ai3hX0P4QSCPHtB5cp_NvLcrVmOluq7bBMaKKQ2g1cFeNM

That said, we have a vacation planned in the Caribbean this summer. Just booked hotel and airfare for next to nothing. Hope it still happens.

[Brisketexan 105,180]

All of our travel is domestic, but it starts July 4th, to California.  And then over the next couple of weeks, we were supposed to be visited by friends from Germany and Norway.  Feeling doubtful that happens.  The only thing I feel remotely confident in is a week at a Texas beach house the beginning of August.  That may be our entire summer vacation this year.

What a weird fucking year.

[CooterBrown 18,015]

1 hour ago, NoName said:

has SWA cut flights like United did?

IIRC, they cut around 20% of their flights and all international flights through May.

[Telegraph_it 3,358]

I booked flights to Jackson Hole for July 4th holiday. $270 on United. Last year the airfare was $800+. 

[Storm the Field 5,297]

Disney trip with in-laws was supposed to start in two days, but, mercifully, fate had other plans for this childless adult male. Planning to use the cancelled flight credits to instead make our annual August trip to visit friends in Aspen. Those flights usually run at least 500+ to fly direct from Houston. 

Everything's coming up Milhouse!

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,128]

I am probably going to book flights to a Greek Island for September.  Ultimately, I may not get to go, but BA is offering flex flights, and the business class fares are too good not to take.

Plus, I have no idea how my company is going to handle vacation at this point.  

[Js1 85,449]

2 hours ago, Shaddie said:

I know prices are good right now but don’t  get sucked in. 
 

The airlines haven’t started cutting flights that far out yet but it will happen. My guess is they will keep a full schedule until they get that government money and then cuts will be enormous. Chances are you would really have to scramble to get to destination and also get back. 

Air Canada has mistake $350 RT Denver to Australia for Jan/Feb 2021. Too risky as tempting as that is 

 

[Zepol87 9,188]

Cancelled our Alaska trip a few weeks ago. Have a family trip at the end of July that hopefully stays on and looking at the week of Thanksgiving to get up to Alaska now. Gonna be a cold bitch 

[wild_turkey 3,172]

28 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Plus, I have no idea how my company is going to handle vacation at this point.  

I'm curious about that for a lot of people. Once things are up and running again, will there be significant pressure to not take vacation time to make up for lost time during the shutdown?

[Zone Read 299]

10 minutes ago I was supposed to take off on a KLM fight from Houston to Edinburgh, Scotland for 2 weeks in the UK.  Planned this trip 6 months ago.  Fuck Covid-19.  I guess it's still better than being in an ICU on a respirator. 

[Shaddie 1,651]

1 hour ago, wild_turkey said:

I'm curious about that for a lot of people. Once things are up and running again, will there be significant pressure to not take vacation time to make up for lost time during the shutdown?

Just got email asking us to take PTO now cause our demand will ramp up dramatically once this ends. 

[Telegraph_it 3,358]

16 minutes ago, Shaddie said:

Just got email asking us to take PTO now cause our demand will ramp up dramatically once this ends. 

[mdmost 43,011]

Ha. Take your PTO now when you can't go anywhere. Makes sense. 

[Zepol87 9,188]

Yea fuck that. 

[Shaddie 1,651]

I get a lot of you don’t want to give it up and I understand that. I get 4 weeks per year, also 1.5-2 weeks at Christmas and usually thanksgiving week also. I actually like my job and staying home means I have to do shit around the house. Fuck that shit!!!

[Ghost of LL 15,539]

In an extreme exercise in optimism, I'm filing my vacation letters today for my trip to Africa in June.

[Deej 76,859]

On 3/27/2020 at 4:36 PM, Ths71 said:

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

"What is something never said by Wuhan residents?"

[hornbri 1,400]

3 hours ago, Js1 said:

Air Canada has mistake $350 RT Denver to Australia for Jan/Feb 2021. Too risky as tempting as that is 

 

What is the risk? We will be able to travel by then and if they cancel the flight because it is a mistake they will refund you. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,128]

5 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

I'm curious about that for a lot of people. Once things are up and running again, will there be significant pressure to not take vacation time to make up for lost time during the shutdown?

Um, no.  We are still blowing and going.  Some initiatives are on hold for now, but fortunately, my boss knows I had to cancel two vacations already, and have not had meaningful time off since March 2019 (after which, I had to say goodbye to Abby who I had had for 16 years, quit my job, moved to New York, and started an incredibly stressful job in September).  So I am due a vacation.  I am thinking taking off after Labor Day (if I can) and holing up on a Greek Isle or two.  Then maybe hitting Paris before seeing friends in London and coming home for beginning of October.  I am just hopeful I can do that.  If not, I am not sure WTF I am going to do.

[conVINCEd 21,469]

3 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

In an extreme exercise in optimism, I'm filing my vacation letters today for my trip to Africa in June.

Did you ever decide on an itinerary?

[Brisketexan 105,180]

Did you ever decide on an itinerary?

Yep....GOLL’s pandemic tour, from Wuhan to Milan. Flying out of NYC, of course.

[Saint Austin 745]

In January we booked flights to Rome for late July. Anybody want to handicap the chances of that country (or ours, for that matter) being up and running by then?

[utee94 15,835]

3 minutes ago, Saint Austin said:

In January we booked flights to Rome for late July. Anybody want to handicap the chances of that country (or ours, for that matter) being up and running by then?

I think we'll be up and running in limited capacity by then.  I'm not sure distant travel will be a good idea, though.  The chances of a global  or national "relapse" in that country or ours, and getting stuck, will still be present.

Just my opinion on all of the above.

Edited April 3, 2020 by utee94

[utee94 15,835]

I'm planning some sort of island getaway as soon as we're really all clear.  It might be Fall, I might have to pull the kids out of school, and I'll gladly do it.