The coronavirus outbreak that has infected more than 600,000 people in the U.S. has pushed the demand for air travel down by 95% in the past week, compared to the same time last year, according to a trade group for the country's airlines.
That remaining 5% includes people like Bill Nord, who feel it is relatively safe to fly or decide they must risk their health to travel for a work assignment or a family obligation.
Other passengers include pilots and flight attendants commuting home after completing work shifts and medical staff traveling to hard-hit regions of the country to help treat victims of the outbreak.
Those who have flown in the past few weeks describe the experience as a mixture of anxiety over the increased risk of being exposed to the virus and amazement over the sight of nearly abandoned airport terminals and almost empty airplane cabins.
Nord, a 56-year-old organic food and products inspector, planned to wear a mask on his flight to Denver to inspect a CBD production facility. Plus, he is in good shape from bike riding along the beach.
But his confidence was shaken when he heard another passenger on the nearly empty plane cough repeatedly. "Oh, no," he recalls thinking. "I'm taking a real chance."
Passengers on recent flights say they have been allowed to spread out in the cabin -- an airborne version of social distancing. Most airlines have either stopped serving food or offer only a box lunch to cut back on the contact between passengers and flight attendants.
"They pretty much sit there and watch movies on their computer and sleep because they have an entire row to themselves," said Rock Salomon, an American Airlines flight attendant based in Boston. "My last trip to Phoenix had less than 20 passengers on each leg."
Those who have been flying during the pandemic are finding air fares down 29% or more, with nonstop, round trip tickets from Los Angeles to Miami now selling for as little as $153.
Airlines don't require passengers to wear masks and gloves but encourage travelers to follow CDC recommendations. Last month, the nation's largest airlines gave flight attendants the go-ahead to wear gloves and masks while serving passengers.
Nord said he would still consider flying for work in the future, despite the scare with the coughing passenger.
"I wouldn't jump at it," he said of another out-of-town work assignment. "I'd take a deep breath first and maybe wait until June or July."
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Flying During Coronavirus? It's Nothing Like It Used To Be
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