You’ll Still Have To Wear Masks On Planes Even When There’s A Vaccine

by Gary Leff

Nov 02 2020

A first generation vaccine, unless it turns out to be both highly effective and widely taken, won’t end the pandemic on its own. I wrote back in early summer that a first generation vaccine, on its own, probably wouldn’t get us out of the pandemic but combined with other measures would make life – and travel – more normal than it used to be. We now have a new study, with new math, backing up this view.

How effective these first vaccines turn out to be, combined with how many people take them, will drive when mask mandates go away. A ‘vaccine only’ isn’t going to do it. We’re going to be stuck wearing masks on planes for some time.

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Director Of ‘Women For Trump’ Blasts American Airlines For Making Her Gate Check Bag

by Gary Leff

Nov 02 2020

Kylie Jane Kremer who runs a Political Action Committee called Women for Trump took to twitter to complain that American Airlines wouldn’t let her bring her carry on bag onto her flight to Atlanta, enroute to a Trump campaign rally. She thinks the reason why had nothing to do with available overhead bin space on her regional jet – but because of her Melania Trump hat.

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How The Conspiracy Theory Explanation Of Covid-19 Begins At An Airport

by Gary Leff

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.

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American Airlines Passenger Sneaks Into First Class To Promote Her YouTube Channel, Kicked Off Flight

by Gary Leff

Oct 31 2020

On Friday evening’s American Airlines flight AA2205 from Dallas Fort-Worth to Miami a passenger reports that a woman got up from coach and moved into first class on the Boeing 777-200 in order to sit with a friend while the plane was still boarding. She hid in the friend’s seat.

The aircraft was completely full, with every seat taken. So a flight attendant noticed that while the plane was taxiing out a passenger was missing from their seat in back. There was “a purse sitting in the seat” and passengers around the empty seat reported that a woman had gotten up and left, never to return.

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New York Replaces “List Of Bad States” With Universal 4 Day Quarantine And Testing Requirement

by Gary Leff

Oct 31 2020

New York State has had a challenging set of rules for travel. Anyone arriving from a state with more than 10 positive cases per 100,000 residents on a rolling average basis, or greater than 10% of Covid-19 tests coming back positive has had to quarantine for 14 days on arrival. Enforcement has been spotty.

With very few states left on the list of allowable travelers entering New York, the state is replacing that regime with mandatory pre-travel testing and shorter quarantine on arrival with a second test for everyone as an alternative to a 14 day quarantine.

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