As we have written extensively in the Trends Journal since the COVID War was launched in February, the airline and cruise ship industries are going to sink deeply into depression.
On the airline front, people will be less willing to fly, as they fear social contact and being quarantined if they are found to have the virus.
In response, Lufthansa announced it is now offering a coronavirus test at the Frankfurt Airport that can be linked to passengers’ tickets.
The advantage, according to Björn Becker, Senior Director at Lufthansa: “A comfortable opportunity to test themselves for the flight abroad or a stay in Germany to avoid quarantine.” Passengers will have to pay for the test, which costs up to 189 German Marks ($180) plus an additional fee (about $5) to have the test results attached to one’s airline ticket.
Mr. Becker noted that some countries, such as China, might request an additional test after landing in order to avoid being quarantined.
IATA, an airline trade association, reports that more than 80 percent of travelers have a high level of concern about being forced into quarantine when arriving in a foreign country.
Over Here
American Airlines, while flying less, is packing more passengers in.
Playing the social distancing game, the airline had eliminated about half of all the middle seats… as if separating people by 17 inches would make a COVID difference.
But, now, with business plummeting, as of 1 July, hoping to fill their planes to capacity, the middle seat will again become a passenger seat.
On another note, American Airlines will begin requesting that all passengers certify they have been coronavirus-free for at least 14 days when checking in.
TREND FORECAST: Considering the combination of restrictive flying rules, slumping personal incomes, and a general population fearful of being infected by the virus, travel and tourism will be among the hardest hit segments of many nations’ economies.
And, the further the global economy sinks, the harder all segments of tourism will fall.
