How Is The Travel Industry Doing These Days?

Not well is the short answer.  I am still involved in the travel industry.  I work for one of the largest travel companies in the country, Tzell Travel.  I work out of the LA office.  The main office is in New York, and almost everyone except support staff and administrative staff work at home. 

I was reading the most recent edition of Travel Weekly, the trade magazine that offers us so much information.  Here are just a few of the things I learned.

Air Emirates (excellent airlines from UAE) is doing Covid 19 testing for  all passengers on their flights from Dubai-Tunesia.  Positive tests means you cannot fly, and you can easily isolated those people and do contact tracing.  After a month without service, Dubai-Chicago service will commence on April 18.  I am not sure if those passengers will also have the Covid 19 test.  If they can do it, why can't we?  I guess UAE was not one of the countries under a ban from President Trump.  Masks and protective barriers are present at check in and only carry on laptops and handbags are allowed. 

The Trump National Doral has laid off 560 workers.

Hawaii, a top travel destination, has been hardest hit.  Most hotels and Band B's have been closed down, and cruise ships no longer plan to go to the Hawaiian Islands any time soon.

Cruising Alaska is dead for the summer.  Princess and Holland America have cancelled most cruises.  There is one cruise itinerary, from Seattle to Anchorage, that has not yet been cancelled. 

The airline industry could not be in worse shape.  Airlines have laid off (or will lay off)100,000 employees, plus plan to ground or retire 900 planes!  Airlines are in good shape financially (most of them) and no bankruptcies are planned.  Experts say it will take 2-5 years for the airlines to recover. 

I feel brilliant, as I had some Delta stock that I sold around 4 months ago for $58.  It is now $15.  If you've got airline stocks and hopefully don't need the money, put them away and forget about them.  I feel confident that they will come back.

Travel is one of my great loves, so I am saddened to see what has happened.  I can't imagine what it's going to take to bring travel back.  For now, just be an armchair traveler and make your wish list for when we can all return to what will be a new normal.