Health leaders encourage people to get vaccine amid concerns of lambda COVID-19 variant
Dr. Todd Husty, the Medical Director for Seminole County said with the prevalence of the Delta variant in Central Florida, and another variant experts are now watching, called the Lambda variant, he said their focus is to get those who haven't been vaccinated, to get the shot.
Unvaccinated Missourians fuel COVID: โWe will be the canaryโ
As the U.S. emerges from the COVID-19 crisis, Missouri is becoming a cautionary tale for the rest of the country: It is seeing an alarming rise in cases because of a combination of the fast-spreading delta variant and stubborn resistance among many people to getting vaccinated.
Delta to resume selling middle seats on flights
Airlines hope such a document would allow countries to relax travel restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus. The airline says every seat on its flights will go on sale starting May 1. [TRENDING: Gaetz investigated over relationship | Disney paying workers who get vaccine | Dozens get COVID after vaccine shots]During the height of the pandemic, many U.S. airlines blocked middle seats on flights as a safety precaution. The announcement means Delta will let the policy expire on April 30 as scheduled. AdTo keep up with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6โฒs coronavirus newsletter and go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.
Airlines close books on rotten 2020 and so far, 2021 is grim
An American Airlines Boeing 777 is framed by utility wires as it prepares to land at Miami International Airport, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Miami. And now a halting rollout of vaccines threatens to further delay a recovery in travel and the travel industry. On Thursday as airlines reported results, a new coronavirus variant identified in South Africa was found in the United States for the first time, with two cases diagnosed in South Carolina. โTravel restrictions on international have resulted in a reduction in demand,โ American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said. AdJETBLUE AIRWAYSJetBlue reported a loss of $381 million, after reporting a profit in the fourth quarter of 2019.
President Biden to reinstate COVID-19 travel rules
WASHINGTON โ President Joe Biden on Monday reinstated COVID-19 travel restrictions on most non-U.S. travelers from Brazil, Ireland, the United Kingdom and 26 other European countries that allow travel across open borders. โThis isnโt the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel,โ Psaki said. โWe have concern about the mutation thatโs in South Africa," Fauci told "CBS This Morning." The agency also cautioned Americans to consider ahead of international travel how they'd pay for health care and additional lodging costs if they became infected or hospitalized while travelling. Biden's team had announced that he would reimpose the travel restrictions, but the addition of South Africa to the restricted travel list highlights the new administrationโs concern about mutations in the virus.
Most major US airlines ban guns in luggage for DC flights
Delta, United and Alaska airlines said Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021 they will bar passengers flying to Washington from putting guns in checked bags. The moves follow the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump and politically tinged confrontations on some flights. American Airlines is bringing back a ban on serving alcohol on flights to and from the Washington area โ flights go dry starting Saturday through next Thursday. Price also said that it is โa good ideaโ to prohibit passengers from putting guns in checked bags if they are flying to Washington. Federal law allows passengers to put guns in checked baggage if they are unloaded and in a locked, hard-sided case, although airlines have the discretion to ban guns.
Delta Air Lines posts $12 billion loss in 2020
FILE - In this May 14, 2020 file photo, several dozen mothballed Delta Air Lines jets are parked on a closed runway at Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Mo. Delta Air Lines is reporting a $755 million loss for the fourth quarter, which brings its loss for all of 2020 to more than $12 billion. Delta on Thursday reported a quarterly loss of $755 and $12.4 billion in losses for all of 2020. So far in January, air travel in the U.S. is down nearly 60% from a year ago. Helped by two rounds of government aid, plus billions more from issuing new debt, Delta ended 2020 with $16.7 billion in liquidity.
Amazon buys 11 jets for 1st time to ship orders faster
An Amazon logo appears on an Amazon delivery van, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Boston. Amazon said Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, that it bought 11 jets from Delta and WestJet airlines to boost its growing delivery network and get orders to shoppers faster. The company said its the first time it purchased planes for its delivery network. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)NEW YORK โ Amazon said Tuesday that it bought 11 jets from Delta and WestJet airlines to boost its growing delivery network and get orders to shoppers faster. The company said it's the first time it has purchased planes for its delivery network.
2 months after hurricanes, Louisiana residents still hurting
โ As southwest Louisiana recovers from the back-to-back hurricanes that hammered the region this year, signs of progress compete with lingering evidence of mass destruction. Hurricane Laura roared ashore in southwestern Louisiana on Aug. 27 as a Category 4 storm just south of Lake Charles. According to Louisiana government figures, nearly 47,000 homes were damaged by Hurricane Laura, with about 16,000 of those in need of major repairs. The bulk of those homes are in Calcasieu Parish, home to the state's fifth-largest city, Lake Charles, with 80,000 residents. A Facebook group set up after Hurricane Laura has become a lifeline for struggling residents.
Florida couple, puppy exit NYC flight via slide before takeoff
NEW YORK โ A Delta flight out of New York City was halted after a Florida couple traveling with a Great Dane puppy fled the aircraft with the pet using an emergency slide, an airline spokesperson and authorities said Tuesday. Murdock, 31, and Greco, 27, of Lake Worth, Florida, were taken into custody on charges including criminal mischief and trespassing, among others. Passenger Brian Plummer told The New York Times that before the couple exited the plane, the pair had changed seats several times on a flight that wasn't full. According to court papers, the flight attendant told police she heard a similar comment by Murdock before he pushed past her toward an emergency exit. She then saw the man deploy the emergency exit and "pick up his dog and exit the plane by using the slide," the papers say.
Florida couple, puppy exit NYC flight via emergency slide before takeoff
NEW YORK โ A Delta flight out of New York City was halted after a Florida couple traveling with a Great Dane puppy fled the aircraft with the pet using an emergency slide, an airline spokesperson and authorities said Tuesday. Witnesses reported seeing a panicky Murdock force open a cabin door and jump out using the emergency chute leading to the runway. Passenger Brian Plummer told The New York Times that before the couple exited the plane, the pair had changed seats several times on a flight that wasn't full. According to court papers, the flight attendant told police she heard a similar comment by Murdock before he pushed past her toward an emergency exit. She then saw the man deploy the emergency exit and "pick up his dog and exit the plane by using the slide," the papers say.
โLife is precious:โ TSA officer helps save unresponsive traveler at Orlando airport
ORLANDO, Fla. โ A Transportation Security Administration officer cut his coffee break short recently to help save a passenger who was found unresponsive at Orlando International Airport. Soon thereafter a Delta employee who is a certified first responder joined Ordenana in performing life-saving measures. โAlthough I do not know this man, never met this man before, I had tremendous compassion and empathy for him. โA single act of kindness throws roots in all directions and the roots spring up and make new trees,โ he said. A single and simple act of kindness can make someoneโs day and the power to change someoneโs life.
Gulf Coast braces, again, for hurricane as Zeta takes aim
Tourists walk on the beach as the tail end of Hurricane Zeta makes landfall in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, early Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020. Zeta, the 27th named storm of a very busy Atlantic hurricane season, was a hurricane when it began raking across Mexicoโs Yucatan Peninsula early Tuesday. It emerged in the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm but was expected to regain hurricane strength before landfall south of New Orleans on Wednesday evening. Officials in two Mexican states hit by Zeta reported power outages and damage caused by downed trees, but no deaths. The extraordinarily busy hurricane season has focused attention on the role of climate change, which scientists say is causing wetter, stronger and more destructive storms.
Deli meat causes listeria outbreak, 1 person dies in Florida
Several people were hospitalized after eating Italian-style meats like salami because of a possible listeria outbreak. At least 10 people have been hospitalized in Florida, Massachusetts and New York. One person in Florida died. โA specific type of deli meat and common supplier have not yet been identified,โ the CDCโs website noted. The CDC is warning people to avoid eating deli-meats unless itโs thoroughly heated.
Delta bans 460 anti-maskers from flying
Delta Airlines has banned more than 450 people from flying for not following its mask policy, according to CNN. In a new memo to employees, Deltaโs CEO said 460 people are on its โno-flyโ list for refusing to comply with the companyโs mask requirement. On May 4, Delta began requiring passengers to wear masks on flights. The airline says the policy is to protect the health and safety of passengers and crew members. [TRENDING: Vote for Trump or else | Woman on Delta flight punches attendant over mask | Disneyland blasts stateโs guidance over closure]All major airlines now mandate that passengers wear masks in the absence of any new regulations from the federal government.
Oh my gourd: Itโs National Pumpkin Day
Whether itโs in your latte or sitting out on your front porch, Mondayโs the day to celebrate everyoneโs favorite gourd. Oct. 26 marks National Pumpkin Day. The name comes from the Greek word โpepon,โ which translates to โlarge melon.โOf course, pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes. [TRENDING: Vote for Trump or else | Woman on Delta flight punches attendant over mask | Disneyland blasts stateโs guidance over closure]And while theyโre fun to decorate and carve for Halloween, pumpkins are also packed with nutrients, like Vitamin C, making them the perfect treat for the fall season. If you were wondering, the Guinness World Record for the heaviest pumpkin is just over 2,600 pounds.
LIVE TRACK, MORE: Zeta strengthens to a hurricane before hitting Yucatan, heading for US
MIAMI โ Hurricane Zeta lashed Mexicoโs Caribbean coast resorts around Tulum with high winds and rain Monday night as it headed toward the Yucatan Peninsula and then a possible landfall on the central U.S. Gulf Coast at midweek. It was the second time this month that boat captain Francisco Sosa Rosado had to perform the same maneuver, after Hurricane Delta hit the resort in early October. Trees felled by Hurricane Delta barely three weeks earlier still littered parts of Cancun, stacked along roadsides and in parks. Zeta broke the record for the previous earliest 27th Atlantic named storm that formed Nov. 29, 2005. There was also a Tropical Storm Zeta in 2005, but that year had 28 storms because meteorologists later went back and found they missed one, which then became an โunnamed named storm."
Southwest to start selling middle seats in December
Southwest Airlines took a major financial hit in 2020 and now the company is making a big change in an effort to mitigate further losses. Southwest will start selling every seat on flights starting Dec. 1. Southwest passenger Linda Morsilli is not a fan of the move. โI loved the idea that they had a middle seat vacant,โ she said. โSomebody my age, who is very vulnerable, we canโt fly if they have it so crowded.
21-year-old killed in double shooting in Marion County
MARION COUNTY, Fla. โ A 21-year-old man was killed and another person was wounded Wednesday in a double shooting in Marion County, according to sheriffโs officals. Both victims were rushed to a hospital, where Williams died, officials said. The other victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to deputies. Investigators said they believe the shooting was an isolated incident, but no other details, including information about the suspected shooter, have been released. An investigation is ongoing.
Video: Woman hits Delta employee during dispute about masks on Florida flight
MIAMI โ A violent incident onboard a Delta flight from Miami to Atlanta ended with two passengers being escorted off the flight, News 6 partner Local 10 reports. Video shot by a witness appears to show a fracas between several passengers and a flight attendant. At one point, a woman is seen hitting the flight attendant in the face. England said the group of passengers were complaining about masks and putting on seatbelts before takeoff. The plane then moved back to the gate, when a woman started confronting the flight attendant.
Tropical Tracker: Watching the Caribbean again next week
Another wave east of Bermuda has a chance to develop early next week as it gets pushed toward the Bahamas. Typically this time of year, the focus is on the Caribbean, as the Cabo Verde season -- storms rolling off of Africa -- slowly comes to a close. All major #hurricanes have formed in the central or western Caribbean. Large scale atmospheric conditions favor development in the Western Caribbean as we move into next week. Currently, there is not even a disturbance to pinpoint in that region, but given the conditions, thunderstorms appear likely in the Western Caribbean, and could eventually materialize into a tropical system.
Louisiana's back-to-back hurricanes: Future unsure for many
Blue tarps cover houses in the aftermath of Hurricane Delta, Saturday Oct. 10, 2020, in Iowa, La. โ Michele Vincentโs home was largely intact in spite of hurricanes Laura and Delta. Coastal Cameron Parish had about 9,800 residents when Hurricane Rita hit in 2005. โLeave Cameron Parish and go into Calcasieu it's bad there too. They were the only red lights we had in Cameron Parish.
Storms, more heat Sunday; Florida fall weather in sight
ORLANDO, Fla. โ There is still a lot of heat and humidity to get through for much of the week ahead. Sunday will feature some of that heat and humidity along with another round or two of storms. Downpours will be around through lunch Sunday with the coverage of those showers and storms increasing through the early afternoon. By the early evening, storms move in from the west along the coast. A cold front arrives Friday into Saturday giving Central Florida a clean sweep from the heat and humidity over the past ten days or so.
'We canโt lose our momentum:' Louisiana vows to rebuild
A 70-year-old woman in Iberia Parish died in a fire likely caused by a natural gas leak following damage from Hurricane Delta, the Louisiana Department of Health said Sunday. Clair Hebert Marceaux lost her home in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, during Hurricane Laura and said the community was hard at work on rebuilding when Delta struck. โWe canโt lose our momentum,โ she said, though she added there was โutter devastationโ in the area. Earnestine and Milton Wesley had decided to ride out Delta in their Lake Charles home, damaged by Laura. โAnd with Godโs help we made it.โAfter blowing ashore, Delta moved over Lake Charles, a city where Laura damaged nearly every home and building.
Not a weekend washout for Central Florida, but higher rain chances return
ORLANDO, Fla. โ The weekend wonโt be a washout, but there is a pretty good chance of seeing rain Saturday and Sunday. There will be showers around, mainly along the coast early in the day Saturday, but the higher storm chances hold off until late in the afternoon. Rain is possible along the coast early with higher rain chances inland later in the day. Beach forecast:There is a moderate risk for rip currents Saturday. There is a moderate risk for rip currents.
Delta adds insult to injury in hurricane-ravaged Louisiana
Marcus Peterson walks past a downed tree in his yard after Hurricane Delta moved through, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, in Jennings, La. It then moved over Lake Charles, a city where Hurricane Laura damaged nearly every home and building in late August. While Delta was a weaker storm than Category 4 Laura, it brought significantly more flooding, Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said. Forecasters warned that heavy rain, storm surges and flash floods continued to pose dangers in areas from Texas to Mississippi. They arrived back in Lake Charles last weekend, got a new roof on Monday and had to evacuate again Thursday.
Hurricanes Laura, Delta reminding Floridians of Frances, Jeanne from 2004
Delta is expected to make landfall in Western Louisiana Friday as a Category 2 hurricane just six weeks after Category 4 Laura devastated those same areas. Delta will be the fourth named storm -- following Cristobal, Marco and Laura -- to make landfall in Louisiana in what has been an extremely busy hurricane season for the Gulf Coast. 2004 was a rough hurricane season for the Sunshine State to say the least. Five named storms impacted Florida in 2004Frances and Jeanne took the 2004 hurricane season to another level by making landfall just a few miles apart within three weeks of each other. In total, three of the four hurricanes that impacted Florida in the 2004 season occurred in a three-week period in September.
Bummer: Rain chances increase for the weekend
ORLANDO, Fla. โ We are seeing a slight increase in rain chances heading into the afternoon Friday, but wet weather will be more prominent over the weekend. The average high in Orlando on this date is 86, but we will see 90 degrees Friday through Monday. Expect a 70% coverage of rain Saturday and Sunday and a 50% coverage of rain on Monday, which happens to be Columbus Day. Rain chances are lower for the workweek, at 20% on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with high temperatures in the upper 80s. We saw a trace of rain Thursday in Orlando, putting our surplus at 0.73 inches since January 1.
Hurricane Delta inflicts new damage on storm-weary Louisiana
This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. EDT, and provided by NOAA, shows Hurricane Delta in the Gulf of Mexico. โ Ripping tarps from already damaged roofs and scattering debris piled by roadsides, Hurricane Delta inflicted a new round of destruction on Louisiana as it struck communities still reeling after Hurricane Laura took a similar path just six weeks earlier. Delta's reach stretched as far west as Galveston, Texas, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from where the storm struck Louisiana. Tropical Storm Marco fizzled as it hit the southeast Louisiana tip just three days before Laura struck. โThe wind is much worse than what Hurricane Laura brought,โ Gove said in a message on Twitter.
Experts: Warming makes Delta, other storms power up faster
This Oct. 8, 2020 photo made available by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Delta in the Gulf of Mexico at 12:41 p.m. EDT. Delta is the sixth storm this year and the second in a week to reach the threshold, Lillo calculated. Hurricanes Hannah, Laura, Sally and Teddy and tropical storm Gamma all gained at least 35 mph (56 kph) in strength in 24 hours. This year is particularly nasty and Delta is a good example, said study co-author Gabriel Vecchi, a Princeton climate scientist. โThis season has given a lot of examples of these rapidly intensifying storms that we expect to be more common,โ Princetonโs Vecchi said.
Can we retire a Greek hurricane name? Delta made us wonder.
Louisiana residents who are still recovering from the devastation of a powerful hurricane less than two months ago braced for another hit as Hurricane Delta steamed north through the Gulf on Thursday after swiping Mexicoโs Yucatan Peninsula, the Associated Press reported. โThey do not retire Greek alphabet storm names -- at least so far,โ Gross said. The last time we went through all the letters of the alphabet and moved on to the Greek alphabet was 2005. In 2005, a record-breaking year of devastating hurricanes, we made it through six Greek letters. The Committee also agreed that it was not practical to retire into hurricane history a letter in the Greek alphabet.
Tropical Tracker: Hurricane Delta to make history
The current forecast has the same areas that were devastated by Hurricane Laura in late August receiving another strike from Delta, a strong hurricane, on Friday. Delta rapidly intensified in the Western Caribbean going from a tropical depression to a Category 4 hurricane in just 30 hours. In a 24-hour period, Wilmaโs wind speed increased a whopping 105 mph, from a tropical storm to a monster Category 5 hurricane. Water temperature in the Gulf of Mexico with the current forecast of Hurricane Delta. With that said, Delta could still strike the North Gulf Coast as a category 2 or 3 hurricane.
LIVE TRACK, MODELS, MORE: Hurricane Delta โscary as hellโ
The projected path included the southwest area of Louisiana where Category 4 Hurricane Laura made landfall less than two months ago. Frankie Randazzo, 47, the partner of two restaurants in Lake Charles, said people in the city were extremely anxious ahead of the hurricane. Randazzo watched pieces of one of his restaurants, Panorama Music House, fly past a meteorologistโs car on a Facebook Live video during Hurricane Laura. The most recent forecast for Hurricane Delta has the storm making landfall โalmost preciselyโ where Hurricane Laura struck โ a region where homes and electrical infrastructure are still damaged, Edwards said in a radio interview. New Orleans, well to the east of the projected landfall area, was expected to escape the worst of Hurricane Delta.
Busy 2020 hurricane season has Louisiana bracing a 6th time
The storm being watched Wednesday was Hurricane Delta, the 25th named storm of the Atlantic's unprecedented hurricane season. Forecasts placed most of Louisiana within Delta's path, with the latest National Hurricane Center estimating landfall in the state on Friday. Along with getting hit by Hurricane Laura and escaping Hurricane Sally, Louisiana saw heavy flooding June 7 from Tropical Storm Cristobal. Tropical Storm Beta prompted tropical storm warnings in mid-September as it slowly crawled up the northeast Texas coast. โNot seeing any signs of any additional tropical weather in the extended which is OK with us because we are SO DONE with Hurricane Season 2020,โ they wrote.
LIVE TRACK, MODELS, SATELLITE: Hurricane Delta makes first landfall with 110 mph winds
Quintana Roo Gov. Here is the latest advisory for #Delta from the National Hurricane Center. โWe hope that in this place we are surely much safer,โ Quintana Roo Tourism Secretary Marisol Vanegas said. โThis is a structure that has withstood other hurricanes.โHere is the 5 a.m. advisory and forecast track for #Delta from the National Hurricane Center. People in Louisiana or Mississippi should prepare now for hurricane-force winds to begin hitting their coastlines on Friday, the hurricane center advised.
Back to the 90s: Warmer weather, lower rain chances in Central Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. โ Rain chances take a dip Wednesday in Central Florida. The coverage of rain will be 30%, with a high of 92 in Orlando. The record high is 98, set in 1919. We have a stalled front just to the south of our area that will be a focal point for increased rain south of Brevard County, mainly near the Treasure Coast. Quintana Roo stateโs governor is warning residents and tourists that it is the strongest storm since Hurricane Wilma in 2005.
LIVE TRACK, MODELS, MORE: Hurricane Delta reaches Category 4 status on path to Gulf Coast
ORLANDO, Fla. โ Hurricane Delta rapidly intensified into a potentially catastrophic Category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds Tuesday on a course to hammer southeastern Mexico and then continue on to the U.S. Gulf coast this week. | How COVID-19 is impacting forecasting | 3 top factors for hurricane development]Mexico began evacuating tourists and residents from coastal areas along its Riviera Maya Tuesday. Here is the 11 p.m. advisory and forecast track for #Delta from the National Hurricane Center. Residents in these areas should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place and monitor updates to the forecast of Delta,โ the Hurricane Center said. Beach communities on the Alabama coast are still clearing away the damage from Hurricane Sally, which made landfall at Gulf Shores on Sept. 16, as they warn people to be ready for Hurricane Delta.
Dangerous Hurricane Delta closing in on Mexico's Yucatan
Fishermen pull in a boat before the arrival of Hurricane Delta in Puerto Juarez, Cancun, Mexico, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. Hurricane Delta rapidly intensified into a potentially catastrophic Category 4 hurricane Tuesday on a course to hammer southeastern Mexico and then continue on to the U.S. Gulf coast this week. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz Garcia)MEXICO CITY โ Hurricane Delta rapidly intensified into a dangerous Category 4 storm Tuesday while on a course to hammer Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and then continue on to the U.S. Gulf Coast later in the week. From Tulum to Cancun, tourism-dependent communities still soaked by the remnants of Tropical Storm Gamma could bear the brunt of Delta. Delta increased in strength 80 mph, more than doubling from a 60 mph storm at 2 pm EDT Monday to 140 mph at 2 pm EDT Tuesday.
Post-Tropical Remnants Of Delta Continue Weaken, As The Heavy Rainfall Threat Diminishes Late Sunday Night
Location 90 miles S of Knoxville Tennessee Wind 15 mph Heading E at 15 mph Pressure 29.77 Coordinates 84.1W, 34.5NDiscussionAt 1100 PM EDT (0300 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Delta was located near latitude 34.5 North, longitude 84.1 West. The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the east near 15 mph, and this motion is expected to continue tonight and Monday morning. Maximum sustained winds are near 15 mph (30 km/h) with higher gusts. Some further weakening is possible tonight as a new surface low develops in the Carolinas, and Delta's surface low is expected to be absorbed by this new low pressure area on Monday. Moderate to major river flooring will continue across the Calcasieu and Mermentau river basins in Louisiana through much of next week
Tropical development chances increase in the Caribbean
Tropical Storm Gamma made landfall in the Yucatan peninsula Saturday and has since emerged into the Gulf of Mexico. The storm is expected to make a hard west turn and meander in the Southern Gulf of Mexico/Bay of Campeche through the next week. A second tropical wave in the Caribbean now has a 70 percent chance over the next 48 hours to become the 26th tropical depression of the 2020 season. 2020 names are now taken from the Greek Alphabet since the seasonal names have all been used. There are two other waves in the open Atlantic that have a very small chance for development and likely wonโt impact land.
Unfriendly skies: Airline workers brace for mass layoffs
About 40,000 workers in the airline industry are facing layoffs on Thursday, Oct. 1, unless Congress comes up with another aid package. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)DETROIT โ The worries are growing for United Airlines flight attendant Jordy Comeaux. Airlines in Europe are expecting years of trouble and have acted quickly to cut jobs even as they get government rescue loans. Allie Malis, an American Airlines flight attendant in Washington, D.C., also faces layoff Thursday. Many United flight attendants, he said, took special leaves with no pay to preserve jobs for others.
Delta to furlough nearly 2,000 pilots this fall
Delta Airlines says it is temporarily pulling nearly 2,000 pilots from its cockpits. The airline announced Monday that it is furloughing 1,941 pilots in October. Delta says it has a pilot overstaffing situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and early retirements will not solve the problem. Delta reports it currently has more than 11,000 active pilots, but said it only needs less than 9,500 pilots for its peak flying period, which is expected to hit in the summer of 2021.
Airline CEO: If you insist on not wearing a mask, weโll insist you not fly with us -- from here on out
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian has put out what some are calling an aggressive enforcement of mask-wearing on the companyโs flights. โIf you board the plane and you insist on not wearing your mask, we will insist that you donโt fly Delta into the future,โ Bastian told Today in an interview Wednesday. The CEO said the stance is one heโs taking in order to keep crew and passengers safe during the pandemic. As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Delta flights have been booked to 60% of their capacity, Today reported after speaking with Bastian. โWeโve had some customers indicate that they have (an) underlying condition that makes wearing a mask dangerous for them,โ Bastian said.
Southwest comes out on top in new airline survey
The JD Power survey of 10,000 business and leisure travelers was conducted from April 2019 to March 2020. Southwest had the highest satisfaction levels in a number of categories including baggage handling, boarding, check-in, costs and crew. The survey covered both short-haul and long-haul flights and Southwest was on top in both categories. Ironically, before the pandemic, JD Power noted that overall customer satisfaction scores were the highest they had ever recorded. A survey conducted in mid-April shows that now what air travelers value most are regular updates on safety and sanitization measures.
Coronavirus: Delta, American airlines reduce flights after bookings decline
American Airlines and Delta are slashing both domestic and overseas flights after a plunge in bookings due to the coronavirus. American, the largest airline in the world, is reducing international capacity by ten percent this summer compared to its current schedule. They will decrease domestic flights by 7.5% next month. Delta is slashing international flights by 20 to 25% and cutting domestic flights by 10 to 15%. The company is also putting on a hiring freeze and establishing a way for workers to sign up for unpaid leave.
DOT releases list of airlines to cancel flights the most
The federal agencyโs annual report breaks down which airlines most often cancel flights, lose bags and which is the most affordable. American leads the group with the most canceled flights at an average of 2.68%; Southwest was at 2.6% and United had 2.46%. Delta ranked as the best airline for the least amount of canceled flights at 0.68%. Delta was the most expensive airline with a ticket costing $390 on average, Unitedโs average cost was $387 and Americanโs average was $370 a flight. As for the most affordable airline, Spirit came in at No.