I took a brief trip to Chicago for personal reasons earlier this week. What I found most interesting was the difference in crowds between the United Airlines and American Airlines terminals. It felt like two totally different places and illustrates the different approaches UA and AA have taken to COVID-19 scheduling.
My flight in arrived in Chicago at 6:00AM, giving me a few hours to spare before I had to depart the terminal for my appointment. I headed over to Tortas Fronteras for breakfast only to find out that it was closed. The McDonalds next door was open, but that did not look appealing, so I decided to walk over to the American Airlines terminal, to see if the Terminal 3 branch of Tortas Fronteras was open.
I will say the United concourse and gate areas were a lot more crowded than at LAX and SFO. But they looked deserted compared to what I found in Terminal 3.
American Airlines has continued to offer more flights than Delta or United during the pandemic. In fact, American is growing twice as fast in terms of number of available seats. AA’s July schedule represents 55% of 2019 capacity while United is only running 30% of its July 2019 schedule this month. American is also aggressively discounting fares, something United has refused to do.
It shows.
Terminal 3 at ORD was packed. Sadly, Tortas Fronteras was closed there too, though I found a breakfast burrito and some decent coffee at Burrito Beach.
I walked back over to the United terminal and even at 9:00AM (during the morning bank) it was not nearly as crowded.
How was mask compliance? Other than the occasional middle aged couples in their golf outfits and fake tans refusing to wear masks, compliance was very good. Not only were people wearing masks, but wearing them properly (over the nose, not just the mouth). I don’t think I’ll ever confront people who don’t wear a mask, but with the economy slowing due to a rise in cases, let’s all do our part…please.
I’ll offer more details on my flights tomorrow. In the meantime, I find it interesting that the AA terminal felt like a pre-COVID-19 day of travel in terms of crowds while the United terminal was much more quiet.
Part of this has to do with the fact that United’s first ORD bank isn’t until 9:30 or so, so 6am wouldn’t show much pax at all. The first banked arrivals are around 8 or 8:30 and departures 9:30 to 10:00-ish.
AA and UA even pre-COVID didn’t schedule banks concurrently for the most part, to avoid ATC demand-related delays where possible.
Not a comment but request for help on insight. I’ll be traveling through ORD with a 5year old from Hawaii on United and connecting on a United flight to Ft. Myers. I have an hour layover. Is that adequate time to make the gate at 7am? Thanks from this slow grandmama.
Hi Sherry, as long as the flight is on time, you will be just fine. You’ll probably land in the C Gates and have to take the underground tunnel to the B Gates, but this will only take 10-15 minutes.
I second Matthew- you should have no problems. Want to add a few things things from my experience that might help.
1. Gates can change frequently at ORD, and quite possibly while you are in the air. Verify that the gate on your boarding pass is correct using the departure screens.
2. Terminal 1 is made of two parallel straight concourses, and the tunnel between them is in the middle. Typically long flights on big planes use the “satellite” Concourse C, and the continental US/Mexico ones on small planes use Concourse B, which is adjacent to check-in. As such, it is very likely you will have to cross under.
3. The tunnel is super cool for 5 year olds, and has a light show that flashes to an acoustic version of Rhapsody in Blue. Be sure to go up the first set of escalators towards Concourse B! If you keep walking you will leave the secure area and end up in Baggage Claim. There are signs, so you should be able to tell.
Safe travels! The key to a short connection is knowing what your route is ahead of time, so your aren’t figuring it out as you go!
For the most part, I agree with the others. However there are some United Express flights that depart from Terminal 2 so be sure to check your gate. Those flights depart from Concourse F. There us a pist security shuttle bus that runs from Concourses B and C going to Concourse F .
Well I am glad I am flying United then. We are going to Cape Cod soon and look forward to less crowded flights and terminals. Glad to hear they care more about safety , and they will continue to get my business after the pandemic
I should have clarified that I walked over to the AA terminal than back to the UA terminal. I was at the UA terminal during the morning bank…
Yeah, but all the pictures above/ everything you used to try to make your point in your article, were from a time with no bank. A little misleading.
Recently, I changed at ORD during the morning bank, walking from Cocoyrse B to F. They were both about as crowded as one would expect. We boarded, then due to a maintenance issue (computer) we deplaned and were sent over to B for a different aircraft. At that time the concourses were shockingly empty.
You should probably take a look at demand versus seats available. United is very close to spot on even when it comes to this. Delta is next best and american is way off. Just because there is more people doesn’t mean you’re making more money. With a company as leveraged as american it seems like they are shooting themselves in the foot. Time will tell though.
Really Awesome images and well put together facts. Kudos Matthew!
This article was paid for by American Airlines.
I wish…they have my number. #wishful_thinking
I’m confused. If your mask works, why does it matter if someone else isn’t wearing one?
Because masks are not about protecting yourself from others but about protecting others from yourself.
Your argument holds no water. Just like masks don’t help anyone.
My question remains the same in the opposite scenario.
*sigh*
This, folks, is why the US will remain shut off from international traffic for months to come…
You, sigh, are why Americans will remain brainwashed for lifetimes to come. You are indoctrinated and programmed to believe whatever your masters tell you. Fool.
LOL. Darn that Illuminati and those pesky Rothschilds!
Enjoy your COVID parties and say hi to John McDaniel or Landon Spradlin on the other side.
Seriously, do you know people who have battled COVID? I do. It is real.
Mockingbird media is real. Your ignorance is embarrassing for you. Yes, I do know people who have had it. And the survival rate is still 99.5% per the CDC. hardly an actual pandemic. The death rate is lower than the regular flu, which has a vaccine. You’re a fool.
Evidence that masks reduce the transmission of viral respiratory infections within community settings is equivocal at best.
A recent meta-analysis of scientific literature found that there was no clear clinical or laboratory-confirmed evidence that masks prevent infection. To the contrary, the study warned that facemasks “…may even increase transmission if they act as fomites (objects or materials that are likely to carry infection) or prompt other behaviours that transmit the virus such as face touching.”
The WHO says, “Wearing medical masks when not indicated may cause unnecessary cost, procurement burden and create a false sense of security that can lead to neglecting other essential measures such as hand hygiene practices.”
Furthermore, the January 2020 WHO guidance stated that “Cloth (e.g., cotton or gauze) masks are not recommended under any circumstance.”
Cloth masks have been found to be particularly problematic. A BMJ study published in April 2020 cautions against the use of cloth masks, citing “Moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection.”
The WHO affirms increased infection risk with cloth masks in its latest June 5, 2020 guidance. It based its guidance on an earlier BMJ study that found the penetration of particles to be 97% in the cloth mask group, with significantly higher rates of infection and influenza-like illness.
A study on the CDC website found “no significant reduction” in “transmission with the use of face masks.”
Given the lack of evidence for their use, and flip-flopping advice both against and for their use by authoritative health agencies like the WHO, the increasing pressure to wear masks in public — and to be able to access basic services required to maintain one’s health, liberty and livelihood — constitutes an unnecessary power grab and means of controlling the population.
I wonder what the CDC and WHO would say about the effectiveness of airline eye masks used as face masks.
You’ll see tomorrow I was wearing a more appropriate mask for this trip.
737-800? You’re more like a 737-Max.
Today is Thursday, July 23rd, 2020, and the Coronavirus is still not as deadly as the seasonal flu, and is therefore the greatest psyop in human history. That makes the Coronavirus the 737-MAX
Get rid of this idiot. Ignorant nazi goon.
You are clearly the Nazi.
Masks control your spew! If he is wearing one then he is controlling his spew and protecting you while you are been selfish. Combine this controlled output with social distancing and voila you got magic. What you are thinking of naively is the N95 mask which protects you from other peoples output. One… we need those for health care professionals and two… they are cumbersome to wear. If you have a hard time wearing a simple mask, then how can you expect others to wear the N95. If you and all other ignorant folks would just read some science then it would make world a better place!
Ah yes the science that magically changed a few months ago to fit the narrative. I’m all set with your narrative science.
Actually science did not change. They did make a fool of you at that time because there were not enough masks going around in the country! They did not want to create a chaos and not everyone is bright enough to figure it out. After all an infection like this has happened after 100 years so don’t expect anyone to know any better! So you have every right to be upset! But its not the science you should be upset at, it should be the administration that you listen to. Next time just make your own decision based on the facts and stop listening to the politicians. That so 1930s when access to data was only thru a powerful speaker. Not you have the knowledge on your iPhone!
Actually the science did change. Have you not seen Fauci on 60 Minutes stating that masks do nothing? His statement there had nothing to do with supply. Stay ignorant.
Like I said…that was all staged! Not enough masks. Also this why they put shelter in place in populated areas!
But you have a right to your opinion and its possible you are right but what is the alternative?
In addition to the Fauci interview:
Evidence that masks reduce the transmission of viral respiratory infections within community settings is equivocal at best.
A recent meta-analysis of scientific literature found that there was no clear clinical or laboratory-confirmed evidence that masks prevent infection. To the contrary, the study warned that facemasks “…may even increase transmission if they act as fomites (objects or materials that are likely to carry infection) or prompt other behaviours that transmit the virus such as face touching.”
The WHO says, “Wearing medical masks when not indicated may cause unnecessary cost, procurement burden and create a false sense of security that can lead to neglecting other essential measures such as hand hygiene practices.”
Furthermore, the January 2020 WHO guidance stated that “Cloth (e.g., cotton or gauze) masks are not recommended under any circumstance.”
Cloth masks have been found to be particularly problematic. A BMJ study published in April 2020 cautions against the use of cloth masks, citing “Moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection.”
The WHO affirms increased infection risk with cloth masks in its latest June 5, 2020 guidance. It based its guidance on an earlier BMJ study that found the penetration of particles to be 97% in the cloth mask group, with significantly higher rates of infection and influenza-like illness.
A study on the CDC website found “no significant reduction” in “transmission with the use of face masks.”
Given the lack of evidence for their use, and flip-flopping advice both against and for their use by authoritative health agencies like the WHO, the increasing pressure to wear masks in public — and to be able to access basic services required to maintain one’s health, liberty and livelihood — constitutes an unnecessary power grab and means of controlling the population.
Like I said its evolving science and I do agree on the negatives of the cloth masks. I only recommend disposable masks. And WHO is not a higher power. They hire scientists like rest of organizations and sometimes the decisions made are based on grey science. The decisions are made by humans with data at hand so they can be discordant!
“In pooled analysis, we found no significant reduction in influenza transmission with the use of face masks”
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/19-0994_article
Show me your medical degree or stfu
Ok Karen. There are tons of doctors and scientists who agree with me. They are just being silenced and disregarded because they don’t align with the mainstream narrative and puppets like you.
You can’t cherry pick what parts of science you like, saying that you’re down with the whole gravity thing and the internal combustion engine is great but want to ignore what pretty much every epidemiologist in the world says because you don’t like it. That’s akin to a small child putting their hands over their ears and making noises to ignore the reality around them.
Pretty much every epidemiologist? There are many who disagree. You’re just agreeing with those who align with your narrative.
@ Christian — You took the words right out of my mouth. Good job! And as for 737-800. Seems like a troll sitting behind a computer screen spewing incorrect or outdated “facts”.
People like 737-800 are the reason why US passport holders are banned from the majority of other countries, and will be for some time.
Isn’t that so sad for you! Today is Thursday, July 23rd, 2020, and the Coronavirus is still not as deadly as the seasonal flu, and is therefore the greatest psyop in human history.
Not that I think data or logic mean anything to 737-800, but even the Wall Street Journal is now pointing out public health data shows COVID-19 is much more deadly than flu:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-deadly-is-covid-19-researchers-are-getting-closer-to-an-answer-11595323801
Not sure what 737-800 is going on about
There is a study to support every argument, Jayakumar. Hardly convincing in this flip flop science world.
But, the constant incorrect data (aka lies) does mean something:
https://www.fox13news.com/news/fox-35-investigates-florida-department-of-health-says-some-labs-have-not-reported-negative-covid-19-results
There’s no comparison of flu to COVID-19 in this article. In the comparisons that have been published, COVID-19 is much more deadly
https://funkyimg.com/i/36ssg.jpeg
You are so right, and it is quite frustrating to see that still so many people in the US don’t get this! As a result, we are not allowed to travel in Europe, Canada, etc.
You will be able to travel again as soon as the presidential election is over.
masks…protecting others, says Matthew.
That is potentially a bunch of communist propaganda. Maybe true, maybe not.
At the beginning of the pandemic, lots of fake news. Only old people get it. No need for any masks. Only 1% or fewer people die. Just elbow bump instead of shaking hands and you’ll be fine. NO!!!!!
In the beginning, I used masks. Maybe to protect others but also to filter at least some of others germs. I started masks wearing mid-February, well before the Trump European travel ban, which was so ahead of its time that it was shocking (in contrast, some of Trump’s actions are dumb). I started shopping as infrequently as possible and at low demand times of the day.
If someone with known Covid-19 were to cough at you, which would you prefer, you not wearing a mask or wearing a mask. See, easy.
“In pooled analysis, we found no significant reduction in influenza transmission with the use of face masks”
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/19-0994_article
My mask works, and it works even better when others wear them too!
A non-wearer may be contagious and not know it. They may breathe on something that someone else touches and infect that person unwittingly, whereas if they were wearing a mask, the spread would be less likely.
Masks do help, both for yourself and others.
It is absolutely mind boggling to see fools like all of you towing the line. Guess no one has read Revelations. Masks are just conditioning to allow vaccines and medical tyranny including the mark of the beast. Sheep being led to slaughter.
If you have time, take a look at this short paper in Bloomberg “How to nudge a coronavirus nonbeliever:”
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-07-03/coronavirus-mask-skeptics-can-be-nudged
Our goal, is to make sure that everybody takes such precautions seriously, be a little disciplined like Europeans were, so we can all enjoy travelling again.
I’ll trust Revelations over Bloomberg. Thanks “doctor”.
So science is all made up but this mystical God, who can bring back her dead son to life, in the clouds is real. I bet she’s sitting up there having a good laugh with Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and Tooth Fairy about the whole mask debate.
No matter what you say, prophecy is coming true. That much is uncontested. If you’re too blind to see the indoctrination of how masks lead to mandatory vaccines and worse, that’s your problem.
I don’t live in America, so I don’t particularly get your nuances. But after reading this comment exchange, all I can tell you is that no wonder the US is the epicentre of the global pandemic now.
Seems some very vocal, selfish, arrogant and ignorant people on the sidelines refuse to help their countrymen/women.
Please learn from Europe, it’s not just about you, it’s about all of us. Wearing a mask, sticking to the rules, being considerate and MOST importantly, being aware of how your actions impact others is paramount.
Good luck to you 737, please stay away from Germany.
Thanks I don’t need luck. I have faith and a very healthy immune system
Shaun, you are very offensive to those of us who have a sincere belief in a higher power. Also, please use the male pronoun when referring to God.
Andy K- Get over yourself lol
Let’s assume what you are saying is right. This is all false propaganda. But who is going to benefit from. Why all countries in the world are fighting hard to bring this under control. What about 625k deaths globally and 150k here in US. Are those numbers also cooked up.
Yes, obviously cooked up. There’s at least a hundred examples of cooked numbers at this point.
One example of many:
https://www.fox13news.com/news/fox-35-investigates-florida-department-of-health-says-some-labs-have-not-reported-negative-covid-19-results
737-800, you are correct. Wear a mask and you’ll get sickle cell anemia. Wear a N95 mask and you’ll get tennis elbow. Yeah, right.
People in Japan have been wearing masks for years, mostly in the winter and when using the subway. They appear to work.
Just in America are people afraid of being called sissy so they don’t want to wear a mask. I would not be surprised that Putin’s agents are trying to get Americans not to wear masks……hey, who is banging at the door. ……no, they are breaking down the door…..they’re speaking Russian……….NYET, NYET. let me go……nooooooooooo
“In pooled analysis, we found no significant reduction in influenza transmission with the use of face masks”
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/19-0994_article
Here’s a simple graphic on why we should all wear a mask you dolt: https://twitter.com/PHLPublicHealth/status/1255941752164401153/photo/1
Is this troll (737-800) being paid by the word? Or is their life just that empty and sad?
My freedom doesn’t end where your fear begins.
AMERICA YEA! LETS GET BANNED FROM THE ENTIRE GLOBE, AM I RIGHT?
Amen.
My health doesn’t end when your stupidity begins.
You have an immune system. I’m not responsible for it. Sorry about it.
That’s not being a good neighbor.
Your immune system is YOUR responsibility. Why isn’t anyone talking about zinc, Vitamin C, sunlight, exercise, and countless other things? Keep spreading your liberal leftist propaganda, Matthew. You’re clearly as brainwashed as they come. No surprise with your California residence.
Yes, and I’d like to keep my immune system as free from the virus as possible. Ignorant conspiracy nuts like you aren’t making it any easier.
Your immune system is not my responsibility. It wasn’t before coronavirus, and it’s not now. Especially not for a virus with a 99.97% survival rate. Foh
How weak minded is a person be who thinks wearing a mask during a pandemic is an infringement on their rights. Common sense just isn’t as common as we would like.
Yeah, 737-MAX! Why isn’t anyone talking about bleach??!! These leftist fools. Quick injection and it’s over. It’s all over. It’s gonna be over. Ya know, it will end one day soon, right? One day we wake up and it’s just…gone!
Interestingly enough, the Bolivian senate approved something similar.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-bolivia-chlorine-d/bolivians-try-chlorine-dioxide-for-covid-19-despite-health-ministry-warnings-idUSKCN24N02P
That settles it. Getting an alpaca and moving to a condo on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Anywhere I can inject bleach in peace and exercise my freedoms as an American (well, even if Bolivia) is good by me!
And I always wanted status on BoA.
You’d be surprised the number of cures that are suppressed in the country, Stuart. Might want to do some research on that.
Let me put it for you in a way you might understand, but will still probably choose not to.
If a person pees in front of you while both of you aren’t wearing pants you get his pee all over you.
If yo are wearing pants, you still get his pee on you, but in smaller quantities.
If both of you are wearing pants, the pee stays on that person.
https://funkyimg.com/i/36sko.png
Yep, the Flu kills 12K-61K a year in the US per year (CDC data) while Covid 19 has killed 140K in 6 months… so clearly the this is way less deadly than the flu. The death rate per infection may be lower, but we don’t have a vaccine for this and therefore we must take preventative measures until we do.
How health and science became political is just beyond me.
For UA, ORD remains heavily banked as it did pre-COVID. Fro JUL and AUG, the first bank does not begin in earnest until 08:30 am. Makes sense that the terminal was a ghost town that early.
Again, I was back in the UA terminal around that time.
I’ve flown through UA at ORD at a bank time and it’s been busy. You just hit ORD at a non-peak time. Go back when they have a bank – like from 2 pm to 2:45 pm when they have over 60 departures, or from 5:50 PM to 6:30pm, or 7:35 pm to 8:00PM… or in the morning.. Point is, you were there when they didnt have a lot of flights, hence the fewer passengers. United initially tried for a revenue premium and that failed and they lowered their prices to what everybody else had. It’ll be busy during the busy times, not busy when there arent flights. Even though AA is “busy”, they still reported a 42% load factor today. United reported 33%. But higher yields. And UA reported a lower loss than UA. So yeah, I guess there are some more people on AA, but at lower trash yields. Either way, nothing to celebrate.
I flew out during the afternoon bank and the UA terminal was still not nearly as crowded as the AA one.
Yeah, but your whole article and the pictures you used to support your argument were from a non-banked time.
Not true. The pictures above (where I say I retuned to T1) were taken during UA’s bank.
@ Matthew — Sorry to see so many idiots posting here claiming that masks should not be worn universally. Too many people in America and stupid and selfish, just like the moron in charge of our country.
Actually, it mostly seems to be one idiot.
Ok, so Matthew, this is your blog, you get to say who posts and who gets deleted. This ignoramus “737-800” (a miserable plane but doesn’t deserve this joker) is spreading disinformation that will get people killed, prolong the epidemic and further damage the economy and travel industry. See that delete button? Feel free to use it.
Heavy approval. Matthew, you don’t HAVE to let everyone post here you know…let them take it to 4Chan or Reddit.
Yes, censor everyone you disagree with. That’s the only argument you have. And UA-NYC, I know that many of the comments on this post are from you.. You mean to tell me you just magically appear at the end of this thread? Ha.
Matthew can happily verify in reading this site over a decade, hundreds of posts I’ve made, I have only ever posted under this handle. GFY.
Seriously – go rant on some QAnon fanboy site or something, you worthless pissant twat
I am not a fan of qanon. Thanks though. And I don’t believe you about the handles. Sorry. You seem as trustworthy as a face mask.
These photos (and AA’s Q2 results today) show that, indeed, even in a COVID-19 environment, it is still possible to fill planes with $19 fares!
I was in CLT on Sunday and it seemed crowded to the point of looking very pre-COVID. I attribute that; however, to the narrow terminals at CLT, and the fact that crowds probably just seemed larger because I’m not used to being in crowds anymore. Keeping physical distance was quite difficult.
Sorry for the double comment… Just thought of something.
As a California resident, how were you impacted by the City of Chicago’s quarantine mandate?
What mandate? Nothing was said and there were no forms or officials around. I just had my appointment and returned, spending a total of eight hours on the ground.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/covid-19/home/emergency-travel-order.html
A la NJ/NY/CT, but less publicized.
Thanks Simon. I had no idea!
So I guess it’s not being very strictly enforced.
And don’t worry Matthew. Wasn’t passing judgement one bit. Good to know that a day trip to Chicago shouldn’t be a problem if the need arises.
I’m surprised there is a mandatory quarantine and no word of it on the flight or at the airport. Interesting.
Actually, there are tons of signs all around O’Hare airport notifying and informing passengers about the mandatory quarantine. There are big stand alone signs, overhead digital signs, smaller wall signs, postcards and audio announcements. In fact, you have captured many of the smaller wall signs in the pictures you posted!
(To be clear, I realize the wall signs in your picture are too small to make out at the distance at which you took the shots, but there are also tons of 8-foot-tall stand alone signs and overhead digital signage — both in the terminals and over the expressway as you enter and leave the airport. Plus the audio announcements.)
Honestly, I missed them, but I’ll take your word for it. Glad that wasn’t strict or this would have been a trip in vain…
@Matthew Honestly it is really more about getting Chicagoans to avoid traveling to Covid hotspots and bringing it back. Employers are actually a greater part of enforcement, as they will not let you come to work for 14 days if you traveled to a hotspot. There isn’t any enforcement by the city, and it doesn’t apply to non-Chicago Illinoisians, or people traveling through ORD to get to another non-Chicago city.
Masks are only part of the issue. Another reason why the US is spiking has to do with lack of social distancing itself. Terminals are crowded again, some flights are crowded again, some public venues are crowded again….I saw a news clip of a tour boat at Niagara Falls completely packed with people yesterday.
This is an American thing, not a political party thing. Both sides are crowding together in public spaces. American’s have always lacked the social consciousness that Europeans and some Asian countries do. This applies to both sides of the political party spectrum. American’s have always been a “me” first society and you are seeing the implications of that mentality in the covid numbers.
The funny part is that each side blames the other, but both are guilty…..one side is just very upfront about it (won’t wear masks) while the other side says one thing, but their actions tell a different story (wears masks, but doesn’t adhere to other measures such as social distancing).
More traffic in the comments section than I’ve ever seen!
Devastated that both Tortas are still closed. I’ll wait longer to visit my friends in Chicago
Half of it is from one mega-troll…possibly a Russian bot
It’s been over three years of you calling people Russian bots. Can you come up with something new instead? it’s getting old. People who dare to speak the truth aren’t Russian bots.
https://funkyimg.com/i/36sko.png
Posting the same stupid image a dozen times across different articles doesn’t make you clever – it makes you a Russian bot (or maybe just a garden variety troll)
Whatever you say stalker.
What a total douche. Seriously – you have no reason for being on this site. Take your conspiracy theory anti-masking garbage to Reddit or some other place where you can rant to your heart’s content. Troll.
Yeah, I flew AA last month and Charlotte was *more crowded* than pre-COVID days — a random Monday in June had Charlotte crowded like it was Christmas or Thanksgiving. Was pretty wild. And both of my AA flights were 100% full. Insofar as I think flying is perfectly safe — safer than a lot of other things right now — I was happy to see it. And I think AA is probably serving shareholders well right now, too.
@James
CLT has pretty much been busy through out the pandemic. I worked a flight in March right when the bad outbreaks were starting up and people in CLT did not care about social distancing at all. Plus the airport was packed. I go by the TSA daily numbers and airlines go by actual internal booking numbers.
The most important point is being missed by the author, the number of people you see in a terminal matters very little in comparison as to which airline is executing a profitable business plan.
As you state AA had more people than UA but UA with less customers cut their cash burn rate to an amount less than AA.
That is what matters who is making money (or losing the least in Covid times) not how many people are in a terminal or on a plane.
Your point is correct, but in fairness I never addressed profitability or who has the better business plan. Quite the contrary, I said:
…this of course indicates a different course of action.
Nothing about the placebo masked zombie apocalypse is ever going to be anything normal. The high margin business flyer is not going to return to flying so from s fare perspective the airlines only have the bottom feeders. Financially untenable and sad to see the pandering to the sheep that the airlines mistakenly think they have to do.
That moving walkway picture is cool.
It’s too bad that this great report’s comments were spoiled by a troll. Thanks for the report Matthew.
I’m sorry that dissent makes me a troll.
Trolling makes you a troll. This post was about terminals at ORD. Not the merits of a mask.
“In pooled analysis, we found no significant reduction in influenza transmission with the use of face masks”
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/19-0994_article
https://funkyimg.com/i/36ssg.jpeg
Ok, we get the picture.
https://funkyimg.com/i/36sko.png
Want to make a lie (or many lies) seem true…repeat it over and over and over again. Looks like Roy Cohn’s alive and well and posting on this blog!
Here’s a funny anecdote. I live in Georgia where masks are not required and I generally do not wear one…….Corona free. Then I travel to MI where masks are mandatory so I have to wear one. After doing so I contracted the virus. There are definately valid arguments on either side. I prefer to not wear one, but if it is required either by the private business or the government itself I will abide by the rules. The Bible teaches us to obey our government authorities as there is no authority except that which God has established.
Above all, in the USA, we should NEVER censor dialogue even when it is not popular. It seems that 737’s voice is not popular, but he/she is backing up a lot of the government’s flip-flops with actual CDC and Doctoral evidence.
Bottom line: There has been so much back and forth and misinformation and so much unknown about this virus, and no one can believe that the media and government authorities are 100% truthful…..that is what defines a “sheep”. So do not slilence the minority when they do not fit the narrative. No one says you have to agree with them.
So overt hate speech, saying Sandy Hook was a fabrication, words that incite violence a la “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” (to name a few), and more locally, this unnamed troll’s garbage over and over again – all good?
It’s ok to draw lines somewhere…Twitter and other social media sites seem to get it…one big social media site clearly doesn’t.
Mr. Klint,
I read and enjoyed your article. As a recently retired AA flight attendant I also enjoyed the main Terminal at ORD and Rick Bayless’ Frontera stop. I do believe that it does not open until
7 a.m.?
But I am also writing hoping you will give our group media attention. I will try to include a letter that is also circulating on change.org.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10215685146865322&id=1341831790
Please help us with this egregious act!
I can’t wait for 737-800 to get the virus and dies. We have way too many idiots is the world, let’s get this idiot infected as soon as possible and save everyone from this moron.