News notes from around the interweb:
- Coronavirus sends China’s aviation industry into free fall, damaging hopes of becoming global hub
- Fiji Airways is offering an extra 30kg of baggage for new economy ticket purchases. I’m not sure that’s going to do the trick.
- How much is travel down?
Buried in a @flyLAXairport about efforts to address #Coronavirus is a telling stat, “Yesterday, TSA reported to LAWA that passenger screening numbers were down 20% year over year.”
— Kris Van Cleave (@krisvancleave) March 6, 2020
- United route changes.
Not sure if this has been reported elsewhere, but source tells me these are international cuts @united is making. Some have been previously announced. The airline said this week it is cutting 20% of its April international schedule to match supply amid #COVIDー19 panic. pic.twitter.com/kG7pruFp4w
— Brian Sumers (@BrianSumers) March 7, 2020
- Towel art, taken too far? (HT: Paul H.)
My sister on holiday with the kids, they had a few cute ‘towel animals’ left on the bed during the week but just came back to this pic.twitter.com/Ok8qUO7eGa
— D.A.D.D.Y (@team_daddy) February 23, 2020
- Postmates introduces ‘non contact’ delivery option where drivers will leave food at your door. This follows similar moves by Chinese delivery services.
Anecdotal evidence would seem to show New York City hotels are taking a real hit. For instance, on Tuesday, March 10, you can stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Times Square for $89, or the Hampton Inn Times Square North for $78.
Just arrived in Zurich and tour guide said hotels are half full.
Just took Saturday midday flight CLT-BWI on AA – presumably all leisure traffic. The A319 went out full to the brim after a few passengers cleared standby. I was also looking into rebooking Baltimore hotels at cheaper rates but the prices went up not down.
@Alex – Speaking of that route, I have seen that city pair pricing at $56 RT on google flights. Wow! Too bad MRs aren’t a thing any more.
My flight to NRT today (DL 275 DTW –> NRT) went out with 152 empty seats, or stated another way 50% of the 306 seats on the A350 were empty. I’m going to enjoy all that extra room and less competition for the lavs on the long flight over to Japan.
That LAX tweet stat doesn’t mention what timeframe is captured … Year over year for that particular day? Month? Rolling YTD?