air travel

Flyers can protect themselves at airports by staying away from crowds until it's time to board. A good idea is to find an empty gate area to wait in till a boarding call.

Health & Safety

Coronavirus FAQ: Do Airplane Passengers Not Know There's A Pandemic Going On?

6:46pm January 15, 2021

Our correspondent took a flight Sunday and saw a number of concerning things in airports and on planes. So many questions were raised. We went in search of answers.

A jetliner arrives at London's Heathrow Airport earlier this year. On Wednesday, the U.K.'s highest court reversed a ban on the airport's controversial plans for a third runway.

U.K.'s Top Court Lifts Ban On Heathrow's Plans For 3rd Runway

2:13pm December 16, 2020

by Colin Dwyer

The unanimous judgment represents a stinging reversal for climate activists, who had won a lower-court ruling earlier this year against the major international hub on environmental grounds.

There's increasing emphasis on wearing masks while flying. How much protection do they offer against COVID-19?

Do Masks On Plane Flights Really Cut Your Risk Of Catching COVID-19?

9:12pm October 20, 2020

by Michaeleen Doucleff

On an eight-hour Emirates flight, with mask-wearing enforced, a whopping 27 coronavirus-positive people boarded the plane in Dubai. Guess how many passengers got infected?

Dozens of Delta jets have been parked on the tarmac of the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport since last spring. The airline reported $5.4 billion in third quarter losses on Tuesday.

National

Delta Loses $5 Billion In 3rd Quarter, May Soon Furlough 1,700 Pilots

8:51pm October 13, 2020

by David Schaper

Delta is the first major airline to report 3rd quarter results and lost more than expected, as air travel demand remains weak due to the pandemic.

An American Airlines plane lands at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on July 16, 2020. Air traffic has rebounded a bit but it's way below pre-coronavirus levels.

National

Reviving Air Travel And Florida Tourism

5:12pm August 28, 2020

by Greg Allen

Florida's governor wants the traveling public to start traveling again. He wants the public to know that air travel is safe during the coronavirus pandemic and hopes tourists will soon return.

A flight attendant adjusts protective glasses. There has been little documentation about COVID-19 transmission on planes.

Health & Safety

Coronavirus FAQ: So Do Lots Of People Get COVID-19 From Flying?

5:35pm August 21, 2020

by Pranav Baskar

A study released this week points to two passengers infected on a four-hour-plus flight. But there hasn't been a lot of documentation of transmission on planes. So how risky is flying?

Many airlines now require passengers to wear masks to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread — and are putting scofflaws on a no-fly list.

Health & Safety

Coronavirus FAQ: Can An Airline Put You On A No-Fly List For Refusing To Mask Up?

4:09pm August 07, 2020

by Pranav Baskar

The matter of masks on planes has led to some contentious moments — and serious consequences. Is it legal to ban a passenger from flying for violating a mask mandate?

A man wearing a mask prepares to board a Southwest Airlines flight at Kansas City International airport in Kansas City, Mo. Southwest and American Airlines are tightening their mask requirements at the end of July by doing away with exemptions for travele

National

Southwest And American Airlines Tighten Their Mask Requirements By Ending Exemptions

7:31pm July 23, 2020

by Rachel Treisman

The airlines will require all customers over the age of 2 to wear face coverings on board and at airports, with no exceptions. They say people who don't comply won't be allowed to fly as next week.

United Airlines planes at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J. Company executives call the COVID-19 pandemic the worst crisis in the airline's history.

United Airlines Tells 36,000 Employees They Might Lose Their Jobs

6:35pm July 08, 2020

by David Schaper

With bookings down and cancellations on the rise amid a surge in new COVID-19 cases, United's furloughs will be a "gut punch" to employees when federal coronavirus relief funding runs out.

Passengers are tested for COVID-19 at Beirut International Airport on July 1.

International Flights Are Ramping Up. Slowly. And With Plenty Of Caveats

7:01am July 04, 2020

by Jessica Craig

Many countries shut down international air travel when the pandemic began. Routes are reopening again, but you may need a COVID-19 test before you board.