Airline Companies Struggle to Persuade Public to Fly

The U.S. airline industry continues to face major financial losses after a sharp drop in air travel caused by the coronavirus crisis¹.

The airlines are attempting to persuade Americans that it is safe to fly even as COVID-19 infections have been rising in some areas. The companies say measures such as requiring face masks and operating hospital-quality air cleaners make sitting in an airplane safer than many other indoor settings.

Public opinion studies, however, have suggested that many people still do not feel good about getting on a plane. In a June study by Consumer Reports of 1,000 people, 70 percent said they believed flying was either very or somewhat unsafe. Those questioned said they thought going to a hospital emergency room or standing² in line to vote was safer than getting on a plane. In another study requested by an airline trade group, the biggest concern of travelers was the possibility of sitting next to an infected person.

John Kontak is a schoolteacher from Phoenix³, Arizona. He told The Associated Press he had this fear as soon as he stepped onto a crowded American Airlines flight this summer to Ohio.

"I don't know anything about this person who is sitting a foot away from me," Kontak said. "They took the bottom line or the dollar over the safety of passengers. Next time, I'd rather drive back to Ohio than fly — it's safer because I can control it."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says sitting within 2 meters of other passengers, often for hours, may increase the risk of getting COVID-19. But the CDC also notes that most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on flights because of how air circulates on planes.

Public fears about airplane infections have resulted in major financial difficulties for the airlines. Several leading carriers have already sought bankruptcy⁴ protection and others could follow if the current economic climate continues.

The four largest U.S. airlines lost a combined $10 billion from April through June. While company leaders say they think they will survive, they have lowered their expectations for a quick recovery.

"We were all hoping that by the fall the virus might run its course," said Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly. "Obviously, that has proven to be dead wrong."

Effect on international carriers

Internationally, air travel is down more than 85 percent from a year ago, industry data shows.

The International Air Transport Association has predicted air carriers will lose $84 billion this year, making it the worst year in the industry's history. The group says traffic will likely not fully⁵ recover until 2024.

Asia, where coronavirus outbreaks were brought under control earlier, is doing better than the U.S. and Europe. Air travel within China has recovered to about two-thirds its level from a year ago. In the U.S., air traffic is less than one-third of 2019 levels.

Air traffic at Europe's more than 500 airports has dropped sharply⁶, down 94 percent in June compared with the same month last year. There were about 4 million passengers, compared with 217 million a year earlier.

Travel began rising when many European countries reopened borders in early July. But virus cases are now rising in several nations, leading to the restart of restrictions⁷. This week, Britain placed a 14-day quarantine requirement on travelers — even Britons returning home — from France and the Netherlands. Travel from outside Europe, including the United States, is still restricted.

I'm Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

mask – n. a protective covering for the face to designed prevent passage of infection from one person to another

bottom line – n. financial value of something

circulate – v. to move around or through something

bankruptcy – n. a legal proceeding⁸ for a person or a business that is unable to pay its debts

run its course – phr. to continue running naturally until finished

outbreak – n. a sudden start or increase in the spread of a disease or fighting

quarantine – n. the situation of being kept away from others to prevent a disease from spreading

1 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

4 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 sharply   

adj.锐利地，急速；adv.严厉地，鲜明地

参考例句：

• The plane dived sharply and rose again.飞机猛然俯冲而后又拉了起来。
• Demand for personal computers has risen sharply.对个人电脑的需求急剧增长。

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。