News notes from around the interweb:
- MGM Resorts re-opening plan for Las Vegas I’ve separately read about single use card decks. (HT: @crucker)
Expect no more buffet-style meals, plexiglass barriers and handwashing stations on the casino floor, physical distancing at slot machines and fewer players at card tables and digital room keys in hotels. …”Employees will discourage players from standing (except Craps) and guests will be asked not to stand beside or behind players,” the MGM Resorts reopening plan states.
- Vietnam, which is a real COVID-19 success story, is looking to open international flights to China and South Korea
- Capital One is dropping Hainan Airlines and Qatar Airways as transfer partners, no big loss.n
- Travel businesses say Google should give them money, because they need money more or less.
- I do not understand the sterilization booth, the virus remains inside you even if it’s not on your clothing. Unless of course they’re using bleach…
Etihad / AUH measures:
– sterilization booth (!)
– distancing
– temperature control
– facial recognition
– airport passenger tracking
– rapid testing
– masksIs that sterilization booth for everyone or just staff? pic.twitter.com/Q7iD6SCfBl
— Layovers ✈︎ the air travel podcast (@lay_overs) May 12, 2020
- Air Canada’s new cleaning video. It would have been so much cooler if they’d just send a zamboni down the middle of the aisle…
- Puppies.
@garyleff @AlaskaAir we have all seen videos of poor performance by baggage handlers but fair call to Alaska and DFW ground crew for loading 6 puppies in 3 crates with the absolute most delicate of care. pic.twitter.com/vbTgn7LMG0
— Action Jackson Coxe (@ActionCoxe) May 12, 2020
- 2 million N95 masks arrive at the Pittsburgh airport.
A BIG thank you to ROK and @TheBlueHouseKR for providing 2 million face masks to @fema. Our alliance and friendship are as vital and ironclad today as it was 70 years ago. #ThankYouROK #WeAreInThisTogether pic.twitter.com/ECdBEKeMaO
— Harry Harris (@USAmbROK) May 10, 2020
@Gary — I heard that SQ is changing the pre-departure First Class champagne choice from Dom or Krug to Clorox or Lysol.
We seem to be dancing around the most relevant issues, persistently ignored despite how long we will inevitably be dealing with this pandemic and the persistent after shocks.
In essence, our airlines are too oblivious and self centered not to realize their role in jeopardizing the health, safety, and welfare of their customers. Specifically, this means the unreasonable crowding in coach and pathetically small bathrooms.
Because so many administrations have elected to ignore this growing abuse of the public does not mean it is acceptable. USFOT/FAA need to get off their touchiss and promulgate regulations to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Stop the gaming!
At least to me, the premise of the disinfecting booth is to kill off any virus on your person that was just spread from someone else. Hey, it’s a step in the right direction.
It looks like the disinfection boot sprays ionized hydrogen peroxide and might also have UV-C lights. Both will kill all viruses (and germs) on the body and clothing (not within the body as senor Trump ponders so your gonads are safe)
UV-C is cancer causing radiation used to disinfect fixtures etc in hospitals and the water and food industry. Hydrogen peroxide breaks down into ozone and water. Ozone should not be inhaled.
If you must enter this torture chamber do not breath and do not open your eyes. As a biologist I would not go in there at gunpoint.
I’m more curious about International travel. I booked a Polaris seat on United to Athens, ORD-EWR to ATH. It was an amazing deal for 2k, back in February. Now they’re telling me that my EWR-ATH flight is waitlisted and offer me a flight through Munich. I’ve had this planned since the last trip, 2017 when Polaris was still updated bedding and no lounge. The flight is mid-August. Polaris flights are twice, even three times as much at other, later times. It sounds pretentious to be thinking about Polaris lounges open, and whatever else we need to do IF we can fly Internationally in August. But I’m thinking about it!
Hydrogen Peroxide breaks down into H2O and an Oxygen ion. It is commonly used in disinfection especially on open wounds. It can even be used as mouthwash. It is perfectly harmless and a proven disinfectant.
Unless you want to believe Etihad is trying to kill off its customers…
Sterilization booth?
The sterilization booth is very smart. If someone coughed on you or you touched something infected it should remove it.
What are they doing with carry-ons? Those are germ/virus magnets.
@Mark air travel worked sooooo well when it had all the regulations and price controls you want pre-Carter administration.