EBOLA What's happening with the airlines? Are travelers canceling their reservations?

[Betty_Rose]

I've heard a handful of anecdotal stories about people canceling upcoming reservations, but when I went online to search for a news story, I found a passing reference that said, "Very few passengers are canceling," and I have trouble believing that.

Meanwhile, last night on Sean Hannity talk radio, he asked his five MD experts seated around the table if they would board an airplane right now, and all five said NO!!!

Not "we'll see," or "it's too early," but an emphatic NO.

In fact, two said that they've advised family members to cancel upcoming flights.

So, does anyone have a good source on how many fliers are canceling right now?

BTW, I have an upcoming flight (one month from now) and my super-laid-back, never-ever worry, DGI husband said, "We need to talk about you getting on that plane."

Thanks for any replies. I have a vested interest in this.

 

[joyfulheart]

I havent seen or heard people CANCELLING flights, but I do know people are not booking new one's.

Hubby was asked to fly to New York City in a few weeks. He's a total DGI, but he did say he would prefer to do what's needed from here instead. His boss understood and also decided to not fly to Mexico for a business trip next week.

So they're not cancelling, but they're not going out on other trips either.

 

[Southside]

Here is my personal take. I would have flown 3 times in the next 4 months. There is not a snowballs chance in he!! that I would get on a plane.

It all comes down to.......Obama....The master of disaster!
Southside

 

[CTFIREBATTCHIEF]

I've a reservation on Southwest for the middle of next month, to Orlando for a conference, I do think I will be cancelling this one.

 

[raven]

Excellent question.
If the government will not quarantine West Africa, it is still possible for the Airlines to effectively implement quarantine.
But they must be shown the business case.
It must cost them more to continue than to stop.

 

[Bob1313]

Prices are way down if you're looking for a bargain, its only a matter of time until people start wearing masks, gloves and other protective gear onto planes.

 

[Capt. Eddie]

Flew from New Orleans to Omaha Tuesday via Houston. Everything was normal as far as I could see. About normal number of seats full for those flights. Unfortunately I have to fly regularly for work. I'll try to keep everyone here posted if I see any changes in travel patterns.

 

[Lilbitsnana]

I was just thinking before I saw this thread, considering the way Obama and CDC are handling things, people won't have to worry about travelling anywhere except interstate travel and to/from Ebola infected countries.

Other countries will eventually start banning travel to/from US if this gets any worse, as in... if all/most of these several thousand exposed people start showing up with symptoms.

 

[Rippled]

I'm cutting mine back, possibly stopping, next week.
Scheduled for Charlotte, then Chicago , Mon - Wed. Then Atlanta late Wed
Night. Then back to Birmingham Fri midday.
I will be putting off Chicago and handling Charlotte and Atlanta on my way back by car.
The airports and flights last week and this week have been draining.

 

[nickosmom]

Was preparing to book a flight for our child to fly home from college for Christmas. Now I'm having definite second thoughts and looking into alternate ways to travel home.

 

[mzkitty]

Was preparing to book a flight for our child to fly home from college for Christmas. Now I'm having definite second thoughts and looking into alternate ways to travel home.

Time-wise the shortest exposure time would be on a plane. You probably do not want them to go on the bus. You wouldn't believe how many very sick people travel on them this time of year. Last time I took a Greyhound back in 2005, there were sick people and babies galore and I got very sick from one of them. Took me weeks to get over it.

Maybe rent your student a car?

 

[Kris Gandillon]

Time-wise the shortest exposure time would be on a plane. You probably do not want them to go on the bus. You wouldn't believe how many very sick people travel on them this time of year. Last time I took a Greyhound back in 2005, there were sick people and babies galore and I got very sick from one of them. Took me weeks to get over it.

Maybe rent your student a car?

Depending on the age of the student, you usually cannot rent a car if you are under 25. Even if the parent's rent it, they can't be a designated driver. There MAY be exceptions to this rule depending on the car rental company but I know as of a couple of years ago we ran into this.

 

[mzkitty]

Depending on the age of the student, you usually cannot rent a car if you are under 25. Even if the parent's rent it, they can't be a designated driver. There MAY be exceptions to this rule depending on the car rental company but I know as of a couple of years ago we ran into this.

Thanks, didn't know that. Well, how far is the school? Can parents go pick up? If not, the choice I see is take your chances a fairly short flight, or stay at school over the holidays.

???

 

[SpiritBear]

I may have to travel from Detroit to Chicago next week and am freaking out at the prospect of having to get on a plane.

It's a 5 hour drive from my house, but I may just drive it.

Problem is, I don't really have "time" to drive it - but it's better than winding up dead so will just have to find a way.

Of course, when I do get there - there's meetings, hotels, restaurants and other things I'd really prefer to avoid.

 

[SpiritBear]

I'd love to hear if people are traveling with masks, goggles, gloves.

For those TB2Kers traveling - please let us know what you see at the airports and on planes.

Of course, I don't think the vast majority of the sheeple "get" how much seriously deep doo we are in at this point.

 

[Doc1]

All yo peoples what be cancellin' yo flight jus' be raciss!

There. I hope I have helped all of you poor, benighted miscreants - who insist on seeing reality - in becoming appropriately PC.

Best regards
Doc

 

[Bob1313]

I'd love to hear if people are traveling with masks, goggles, gloves.

For those TB2Kers traveling - please let us know what you see at the airports and on planes.

Of course, I don't think the vast majority of the sheeple "get" how much seriously deep doo we are in at this point.

Ya know it's coming, I bet we start seeing cell phone pics as soon as this weekend, hopefully it all goes viral and just puts that much more pressure on Obamabola, it's gonna burn his ass if he's forced to ban his infected brothers and sisters from traveling to the U.S., watch for him to open up the southern border even more, if that's somehow possible

 

[Freeholder]

Check and see if there are any other students traveling your direction from that college with their own car, and see if your student can carpool with them. Might even pay for a beater (in good running condition) and have several students travel home that way. Might also consider looking into having student attend college closer to home next term, if possible.

Kathleen

 

[littledeb]

Sounds like there's no problem with all the pheasant hunters descending on So.Dak. this weekend. They come from all over the u.s.

http://www.keloland.com/newsdetail.cfm/pheasant-hunters-flock-to-keloland/?id=170750

The Sioux Falls Regional Airport was packed with out-of-state hunters.

"My brothers and my nephew they are coming from Indianapolis and Chicago and South Carolina," Indiana resident John Barlow said.

Vendors from around Sioux Falls were able to set up shop in a prime location.

"Individual hunters will come in and pick up a hat as they go by because they know they have to have something orange," Terri Carl said.

Hunters like Jim Matt travels to Sioux Falls from Oklahoma where works for a logistic company. He says pheasant hunting is a great opportunity to spend quality time with his customers outside of the office.

"In today's world, it's hard to sit down and meet with someone in their office with phones ringing," Matt said. "So up here you have their total, undivided attention where you can really get something accomplished business-wise."

Hunters receive a warm welcome from the Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau. Lloyd Donnelly is from Florida is all dressed up for this occasion.

"These are all pheasants that we shot and it even has my name in it so it was hand made for me," Donnelly said.

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks is optimistic that this season could be better than last year, regardless of the outcome some are just looking forward to the comradery.

"The birds are the secondary reason or purpose," Donnelly said. "Really, it's to see all of our friends and to talk about old time and how much fun we have had over our lives, and it has been at 76. I am still having a ball."

© 2014 KELOLAND TV. All Rights Reserved.

 

[bluetick]

A friend has tickets to fly here (CA) from NY next week for a visit. We are both watching latest developments before making a final decision for her to get on the plane. I told her I would reimburse her the cost of the tickets if she chose not to come. She isn't afraid to wear a mask and gloves, but still...

 

[SIRR1]

I think it's time to unload my TWA stock!

SIRR1

 

[imaginative]

I dont think that TPTB are too concerned about our airlines- they are however, concerned about the african economy

 

[tanstaafl]

To cancel a plane flight and instead opt for a long distance drive in a car is to SERIOUSLY not understand the relative odds for the danger from each form of travel. It would be like taking your kid out of the local swimming pool because you heard someone may have peed in the pool and instead dumping them to swim in the Hudson River (or pick your local polluted river, lake, or whatever).

 

[Betty_Rose]

To cancel a plane flight and instead opt for a long distance drive in a car is to SERIOUSLY not understand the relative odds for the danger from each form of travel. It would be like taking your kid out of the local swimming pool because you heard someone may have peed in the pool and instead dumping them to swim in the Hudson River (or pick your local polluted river, lake, or whatever).

Thing is, it's not just the threat of Ebola, but how many stories have we heard this week about planes being delayed for HOURS as the Haz-Mat guys go through the plane and remove the sicko and then tell everyone else to stay put?

I'm not sure I have the emotional wherewithal to deal with that kind of BS.

 

[tanstaafl]

I didn't say people shouldn't cancel their flights and not travel at all. Rather, I focused on the very bad idea of canceling a trip via airplane just to instead then make the exact same trip by car (presumably over a long distance, if there was a plane flight in the first place). So there were two parts to my post:

1) risks of flying

vs.

2) risks of driving a vehicle over long distances

Anyone who thinks I was sticking my head in the sand regarding the Ebola threat on airplanes, by all means feel free to research for yourself the historical risks between those two modes of transportation (keeping in mind that airplanes with potential Ebola exposure is a much smaller subset of the overall flying statistic). Then come back and tell us what you find out.

 

[SpiritBear]

I didn't say people shouldn't cancel their flights and not travel at all. Rather, I focused on the very bad idea of canceling a trip via airplane just to instead then make the exact same trip by car (presumably over a long distance, if there was a plane flight in the first place). So there were two parts to my post:

1) risks of flying

vs.

2) risks of driving a vehicle over long distances

Anyone who thinks I was sticking my head in the sand regarding the Ebola threat on airplanes, by all means feel free to research for yourself the historical risks between those two modes of transportation (keeping in mind that airplanes with potential Ebola exposure is a much smaller subset of the overall flying statistic). Then come back and tell us what you find out.

You're not making ANY sense.

If I travel by car, I'm the ONLY one in the vehicle - there is no-one coughing, sneezing, touching things, etc. (Do you have the slightest familiarity with how germs can travel in a CONTAINED airplane environment?!)

I do not have to stop. If I do, I can take plenty of precautions to disinfect. Even if I DO go into a rest area, restaurant, etc - it's a hell of a lot better than sitting in a contained airplane with circulating germs and possible Ebola a seat or ten away. The plane also was likely NOT disinfected over the last 5 - 20 flights, which means any manner of Ebola droplets could be on any surface anywhere. Ditto the crowded airport concourses, bathrooms, etc.

Since I absolutely can't fathom what your logic is in saying it's more dangerous to travel by car than plane, am anxiously awaiting a well thought out explanation..

PS: Hannity had 5 well renowned Medical experts on his show last night and asked.."would any of you get on an airplane under ANY circumstances right now?" and the response was a universal "HELL, NO!"

Cheers.

 

[Hansa44]

I would keep flying if I needed to. If it's not your turn to get ebola or anything else for that matter, you won't.

 

[orion41]

Locked in a sealed aluminum cylinder for 2 to 6+ hours breathing recirculated air. I think I'd rather go on a car ride any day.

 

[mostlyharmless]

I'm traveling on a redeye this evening, a flight I take with regularity... and it is ALWAYS overbooked. I'll report in the morning.

 

[tanstaafl]

You're not making ANY sense.

Like I said, go check the statistics and report back which method of travel is safer overall. I suggest going with the "per miles traveled" numbers.

 

[Hacker]

All yo peoples what be cancellin' yo flight jus' be raciss!

There. I hope I have helped all of you poor, benighted miscreants - who insist on seeing reality - in becoming appropriately PC.

Best regards
Doc

Well, Doc. I guess I'll just have to repent, for the sinner that I am

 

[hammerhead]

I don't know what's happening with the airlines, but I can tell you what's happening with this traveler.

I've been spending 1/3 to 1/2 of my time away from home, and I've managed to tag a few continents recently.

This last trip, things were a little too close for comfort. I traveled on the same day through an airport that one ebola patient had gone through, apparently hot. But I went through hours before her. Then I was at Logan, taxiing in, looking out my jet's window at the Arab Emirates jet that had been isolated and was surrounded by emergency vehicles.

At that time, just a few days ago, things were not nearly bad enough, in my estimation, to pull a career-limiting move. And the trip was really important to me and the trajectory of my career. Still, the long incubation period made -- and makes -- me very uneasy. We all understand that issue and its consequences, so I won't bother going into details.

I'm home now till early November, when I am scheduled to lift off again to multiple destinations, here in North America and elsewhere, which unfortunately have already been in the news related to this outbreak.

As described in so many places, the math of this would indicate there'll be a big jump in numbers by the end of October -- if this has already and invisibly exploded. If there's no big change, I'll be getting on those planes. If things are looking bad, I'll be having a very serious talk with management, who put travel restrictions in on West Africa very quickly, and who restricted travel to another hotspot earlier in the year when the perceived risk factor (not ebola) was too high. I doubt they'll have a problem, if things have hit the fan and the news.

Well, there you go. My $0.02.

 

[Bridey Rose]

...its only a matter of time until people start wearing masks, gloves and other protective gear onto planes.

And that time is now. . .

http://dailycaller.com/2014/10/15/passenger-wears-a-hazmat-suit-to-dulles-airport-photo/

 

[Betty_Rose]

Is she wearing garbage bags, or what?

You'd think she'd go ahead and spend the extra $10 for a Tyvek suit!

 

[Terriannie]

Is she wearing garbage bags, or what?

You'd think she'd go ahead and spend the extra $10 for a Tyvek suit!

I think the body is covered with an extra large garbage bag I saw sold at Sams but the head covering looks like part heavy duty Saran Wrap attached with some sort of rigged up face contraption which is interesting.

That part looks like large aquarium tubing with air holes punched in with the mouth piece attached through the mask? Sure looks interesting though. It may not work totally especially if Ebola goes airborne but it sure should stop any sneeze droplets from getting in perhaps. (Unless a drop lands on an air hole.)

That getup may be overkill but one thing about it is, it shows how one can think outside the box using what they had.

 

[Sleeping Cobra]

Stepping out your front door you take chances.

Just saying.

 

[ainitfunny]

My sis had a paid one way ticket (late Sept.) and for TWO reasons (sudden, first, Kidney stone and Ebola danger) cancelled the trip (originally with plans to fly back at an uncertain future date).

I certainly won't be traveling, (and I WOULD OTHERWISE) probably for the next year without AT LEAST A hazmat suit, gloves and N95 mask.

 

[Ice Guy]

I've a reservation on Southwest for the middle of next month, to Orlando for a conference, I do think I will be cancelling this one.

I fly to Orlando tomorrow and back next Saturday.....I will report how many empty seats there are.

 

[Betty_Rose]

I fly to Orlando tomorrow and back next Saturday.....I will report how many empty seats there are.

Thanks. I'm more than a little curious.

And I'm quite nervous about my upcoming flight. For lots of reasons. As I've said elsewhere, the least of it is knowing that "one false move" and you could end up quarantined with a bunch of sickies for 21 days.

 

[Dan the Power Man]

Stepping out your front door you take chances.

Just saying.

Good point. I'm not going to let hysteria rule my ability to enjoy life, and take care of my responsibilities. I'm traveling this weekend by air with no worries.