Nov
01
2020
Why are price sensitive leisure travelers spending more inside the airport than before – when so many retail establishments are even closed?
Passengers Are Spending More Money At The Airport During The Pandemic
Airports
Category Archives for Airports.
How The Conspiracy Theory Explanation Of Covid-19 Begins At An Airport
Nov
01
2020
Last week’s Airlines Confidential podcast was recorded at the Boyd International Aviation Forecast Summit, and Mike Boyd was on briefly and dropped – almost as an aside – “one little thing drops out of a lab in Wuhan..” and aviation is upended.
I’d walk through the ‘conspiracy theory’ of the virus, not just because of what SARS-CoV-2 has done to aviation (since it’s done even more to human lives) but also because the conspiracy actually involves the Wuhan airport.
JFK Airport Hit Again In $6 Million Heist
Oct
31
2020
Possibly inspired by Goodfellas, two former New York JFK truck drivers and a Delta Air Lines employee pled not guilty to a $6 million heist of luxury goods from the airport this week. Prosecutors allege they showed up with paperwork for the goods, bearing the flight details and serial numbers for the items, and they drove off with their haul. Destination: a “defunct beauty shop in Queens.”
13 Women Flying Qatar Airways Given Genital Inspection At Doha Airport
Oct
25
2020
Travel to places where human rights aren’t fully respected entails risks. Those risks are on the rise in China for instance. I’ve enjoyed visiting Doha. The Museum of Islamic Art is absolutely worth the stop. But this incident certainly gives pause.
The Testing Wars Have Begun: Oakland Airport Wants To Attract Passengers With Free Rapid Covid Testing
Sep
29
2020
It was only Thursday that United Airlines announced they would offer rapid coronavirus testing at the airport in San Francisco for passengers taking its Hawaii flights. Testing would be available by appointment, with results available in 15 minutes, and the airline hoped the $250 price point would come down in the near future.
Since then Hawaiian Airlines also announced same day airport testing coming for its passengers for $150. The State of Hawaii plans to allow people to enter the state without 14 day quarantine starting October 15, provided they present a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of arrival. United says the state will accept their Abbott rapid tests.
Now Oakland airport is announcing that its Hawaii passengers can get rapid tests for free starting October 15.
European Airports Will Use Covid-Sniffing Dogs And A Virus Gargle Test To Bring Travel Back To Normal
Sep
23
2020
Covid-sniffing dogs were already tested in the UAE with 90% accuracy, now they’re being trialed in Helsinki. Two European airports will use a self-serve ‘Israeli gargle test’ which provides results in 15 minutes. Both are efforts to ensure travelers are all virus free, and give both passengers and governments confidence to travel the way we (mostly) used to.
An even better solution extends far beyond airports. Cheap, at home strip tests (think of something similar to a pregnancy test) that identify whether or not you’re Covid-positive. The primary obstacle to cheap daily at home testing isn’t technology, it’s the FDA. Set this up to read results through an app, and the app could become your passport not just to travel but also bring back indoor activities.
With Nearly 2000 TSA Employees Testing Positive For Covid, They Keep Patting Down Passengers Every Day
Sep
22
2020
While flights don’t seem to be significant causes of virus spread the same may not be true of other parts of the travel experience. 1812 TSA employees have tested positive for Covid-19. 92% of those are airport screeners. Miami has had 122 screeners test positive. New York JFK has had 112. And these numbers don’t include the most recent testing.
According to a former TSA federal security director it’s insane that the TSA continues with pat downs which he says are unnecessary.
5 Things I Didn’t Know About Airport Codes
Sep
20
2020
On the most recent episode of the always-excellent “Airlines Confidential” podcast journalist Seth Kaplan and former Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza were talking about airport codes and they shared several things I wasn’t aware of, though perhaps have heard in passing before.
FAA Will Continue To Protect Incumbent Airline Slots At The Most Congested Airports
Sep
16
2020
At many congested airports a ‘slot’, or limited number of permissions, is required to take off and land. Generally airlines have slots granted in perpetuity by government and these become properties rights that they can buy, sell, and trade.
However if they don’t use the slots they have at least 80% of the time, they can lose them. These rules have been waived during the pandemic, and the FAA plans to continue extending them.
San Antonio Airport Caves, But Now Chick-fil-A Is Unwilling To Open There
Sep
16
2020
In the end though the city is going to get its way – no Chick-fil-A in the airport – but not because they’re expressing equality principles (they caved on those) but because Chick-fil-A said buzz off.
