1 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:11,319 Speaker 1: Welcome to Prognosis. I'm Laura Carlson. It's stay sixty five 2 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: since coronavirus was declared a global pandemic. Our main story 3 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: airlines and airports are doing whatever they can to assure 4 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 1: the public that it's safe to fly. But the future 5 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: of air travel is going to look almost unrecognizably different. 6 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:33,239 Speaker 1: We followed someone who's still flying to find out what 7 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: it's like on an airliner during a pandemic. First, here's 8 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 1: what happened today. How Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pushing ahead 9 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: with a vote on a three trillion dollar virus relief bill, 10 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: despite the fact it has no chance of ever getting 11 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: signed into law. Lawmakers began considering the package under restrictions 12 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: that have now become commonplace, face covers and limits on 13 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: the number of members on the floor at any one time. 14 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: Pelosi is making a bet that key parts of the legislation, 15 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: like aid to states, more payments to individuals, and extending 16 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: unemployment insurance, will generate massive public support. She hopes that 17 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: will force the White House and the GOP into negotiations 18 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: on another round of stimulus for a hobbled US economy. 19 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has dismissed the legislation 20 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: as a three trillion dollar left wing wish list, and 21 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: said he and the White House have set no date 22 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 1: for a new stimulus package. As the pandemic shuttered businesses 23 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: and kept Americans at home, sales at stores and restaurants 24 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: fell around six in a roll, nearly twice as much 25 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: as it did in March. Both monthly declines broke all 26 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: previous records. A separate report from the Federal Reserve showed 27 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 1: industrial production had its steepest drop on record. It all 28 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: adds to a mountain of data piling up that suggests 29 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 1: it will take years for the economy to claw itself 30 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:28,239 Speaker 1: back from recession. One Nordic nation is seeing a light 31 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,519 Speaker 1: at the end of the tunnel for the outbreak. Denmark 32 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: had its first day without a COVID nineteen related death 33 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: since mid March. It's evidence that the country's strategy of 34 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: locking down early has succeeded in bringing the virus under control. 35 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: The total number of deaths from the virus the country 36 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: has reported is five hundred and thirty seven. Finally, sad 37 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: news for beer, UK pubs may be forced to dump 38 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,799 Speaker 1: seventy million pints enough to fill more than sixteen Olympic 39 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: sized swimming pools, because much of the brewer's storing will 40 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: spoil before the pubs can reopen in July. Many farmers 41 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: and food manufacturers around the world, faced with a sudden 42 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: plunge in demand, have been forced to figure out how 43 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: to dump huge quantities of everything from milk, two pigs, 44 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:35,119 Speaker 1: and now our main story. The aviation industry is wrestling 45 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: with ways to control the coronavirus and get people back 46 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: to flying. Airports have seen a drop off in passengers 47 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: since mid March, but as states ease lockdown restrictions, more 48 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: people are expected to fly. Airports today are starting to 49 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 1: make changes in the hopes that passengers will be safer 50 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: as they fly. Bloomberg's just In Bachman has more on 51 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: what it looks like to take a flight during a 52 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: pandemic and how air travel may change going forward. Nick 53 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: Shine is on his way to the airport. Nick is 54 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 1: a sophomore at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and he's 55 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,359 Speaker 1: heading back to New York to see his parents. I 56 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 1: decided to go home at this point in time, mostly 57 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: because who knows what the future holds and I need 58 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 1: to go see my parents at some point. It's early 59 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: May and he hasn't seen them since January. Nick is 60 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: catching a United Airlines flight from Denver International Airport to Newark. 61 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 1: He says he's nervous about the trip. I'm thinking that 62 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: lines won't be too bad, my seat will have some 63 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: room next to me at least, but I'm definitely nervous 64 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: about germs and corona. Full disclosure. Nick is the son 65 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 1: of Rick Shine, a Bloomberg News editor who also works 66 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: on this podcast. He just happened be taking this flight 67 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: and we asked him to record his travels. Just like 68 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: Nick isn't sure what his traveled today will actually look like. 69 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: No one is certain how COVID nineteen will reshape safety 70 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: protocols at airports and airlines, and some of the possible 71 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: pandemic era measures have already begun in many places across 72 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: the US airport temperature checks, plexiglass partitions, touchless check in kiosks, 73 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: and far more social distancing near boarding gates, security lines, 74 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: and on board. So far, none of the changes US 75 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: airports are making are part of any coordinated government effort. 76 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: Airlines are in talks with the Transportation Security Administration and 77 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: other agencies on a more streamline approach. Until then, airlines 78 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: and airports are doing whatever they can to assure the 79 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 1: public that it's safe to fly. On May tenth, United 80 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 1: Airlines began testing new touchless kiosks at four airports Boston, Chicago, Dallas, 81 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: Fort Worth, and or Indo, allowing people to scan in 82 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 1: from a smartphone or a sheet of paper printed at home. 83 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: That's not an option for Nick today, though. Still things 84 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: were looking good from a social distancing standpoint. The airport 85 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: is busy, but people are standing six ft apart and 86 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 1: they're wearing masks. These safety measures are part of the 87 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: new reality for flyers, but some things don't change in airports, 88 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: like waiting. I've already checked my bag by myself, but 89 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 1: I'm waiting in line to put it on the coveyor belt, 90 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,479 Speaker 1: And even though it's not that crowded, it's taking a 91 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: surprising amount of time. I mean, I've been staying in 92 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: the same spot for about ten minutes now. There will 93 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: be changes to really every part of the flying experience, 94 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: including where Nick heads to next the security line. They're 95 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 1: keeping the six protocol pretty strict. There's a like alleys 96 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: between the lines that wrap around and make sure you're 97 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 1: still six ft away in all directions. The line was 98 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: really a breeze. I mean it's it's noon on a 99 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 1: Friday and I'm already at the front. I didn't even 100 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: wait really, so I can't complain in that front. But 101 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: you know, still a lot of people, so that's a 102 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: little nerve wracking. Nick gets through fast, but longer lines 103 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: and congestion could come as more people head back to 104 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: airports now and through security. And it was a breeze, nothing, 105 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: nothing new, nothing different. Um, I'm waiting at the train, 106 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: the little tram and Denver International going to be gate 107 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: past security. Airports are also considering changes to their bars, restaurants, 108 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: and public seating areas. Long rows of a joined seats 109 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: near boarding gates may no longer be appropriate. Communal tables 110 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: and food courts maybe a thing of the past. Now 111 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: Nick is at his gate with ten minutes to spare, 112 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: he notices another change, one that has to do with 113 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: seating arrangements. They say now that, uh, each row number 114 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: is your seat number. So I'm taking that to mean 115 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: that every person has a road to themselves, which is nice. Um, 116 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 1: and you board differently now, so you start with the 117 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 1: last row and go down the line. So I have 118 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: row thirty four, so I should be pretty pretty quick 119 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: to board. Frontier Airlines is also creating a new policy 120 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: before passengers can board. It says it will begin checking 121 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: each flyer's temperature starting in June. If you're one point 122 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: four degrees fahrenheit or warmer after two tests, you won't 123 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,439 Speaker 1: be allowed on the flight. But right now, Nick doesn't 124 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: have to worry about that. He just needs to figure 125 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: out what movie to pick as he lounges in his 126 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: own rock, We're gonna watch a movie with our masks 127 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 1: and gloves on, and uh, we're just gonna act like 128 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: nothing's nothing's different, even though a lot of things are different. 129 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: Nick has been wearing a mask this whole time, and 130 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: that will also be the case once he gets onto 131 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: the plane. Every US airline has mandated face coverings for 132 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 1: boarding and in flight, but it's not a given people 133 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: will wear them the entire time, especially when drinks are 134 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: snacks are still served. It's a tricky rule to enforce, 135 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 1: and flight attendants are being told they must do so. 136 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: Nick boards the plane and makes his way to his seat. 137 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: That's when he realizes something that new seating arrangement, the 138 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: one where people may expect to have their own row. 139 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,959 Speaker 1: It turns out that's not the case. The plane is 140 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: packed and having a road to yourself was just wishful thinking. 141 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: I don't know why I thought that there was one 142 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: person to a row. That was just incorrect. But yeah, 143 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 1: it's it's a full flight for sure. I mean, I'm 144 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: in a row with all the seats filled up. Does 145 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: not just does not stick feet apart. I mean that 146 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: kind of figured. Just don't book the middle seats. It 147 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: seems easy enough, but I guess it's, uh, it's not 148 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 1: that easy. It just feels like a normal flight that 149 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: I'm just more nervous and should have them. The few 150 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: people flying now come expecting airlines to focus on strictly 151 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: enforcing some kind of social distance on their planes. They do, 152 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,080 Speaker 1: but not if it means turning away a ticketed customer. 153 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: From May and June, airlines cut their schedules so deeply 154 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: due to weak demand that they often need all the 155 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 1: seats on the flights that remain. So with fewer flights, 156 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:48,079 Speaker 1: there are now fuller planes. All of these changes in 157 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,319 Speaker 1: airports will be expensive, and they come at the worst 158 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: possible time for nearly every player in the travel industry, 159 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: from airlines to rental car companies and hotels. The sudden 160 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: demand decline has hit all airlines deeply and led to 161 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 1: some small carriers shutting down. In the US, the industry 162 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: went from solid profits to a loss in the first 163 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 1: quarter due to the virus. Financially, many airlines are in 164 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 1: a race for survival despite some fifty billion dollars in 165 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: US taxpayer support. That means measures like empty middle seats 166 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: won't work for the industry in the longer term, at 167 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: least without major fare increases or more money from the government. 168 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: With less demand and an array of new health safety protocols, 169 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 1: flying could become more expensive than in the recent past. 170 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: So you may think that since there's so little demand, 171 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: air fares will stay low, and they probably will for 172 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: a time as the world very gradually returns to flying. 173 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 1: But all of these new safety protocols could make air 174 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 1: travel more expensive than in the reset past. Folks are 175 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 1: welcome to a great rest of the day. After two 176 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 1: and a half hours on that full flight, Nick lands 177 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: in Newark. He says the airport isn't full. People are 178 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: also wearing masks and there are lots of signs advising 179 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: everyone to stay six ft apart. I don't feel great 180 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: about that flight, but nothing I can do now. I'm 181 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 1: happy to be here to a degree. He grabs his 182 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: bag and heads home, and I'm gonna go say hello 183 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 1: to my mom from six ft away. Time n equal 184 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 1: self quarantine for ten days before he can get a 185 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: real hug from mom. Just like temperature checks, touchless check 186 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 1: in kiosks, and missing middle seats, getting off a plane 187 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 1: and going into quarantine is just another change, as we 188 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: learned to fly again during a pandemic. That was Bloomberg's 189 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 1: just and Bachman and that's our show today. For coverage 190 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: of the outbreak from one and twenty bureaus around the world, 191 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: visit bloomberg dot com slash Coronavirus and if you like 192 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 1: the show, please leave us a review and a rating 193 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 1: on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's the best way to 194 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 1: help more listeners find our global reporting. The Prognosis Daily 195 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 1: edition is hosted by me Laura Carlson. The show was 196 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: produced by Me Topher Forehead, Jordan Gaspore, and Magnus Hendrickson. 197 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 1: Today's main story was reported by Justin Bachman. Original music 198 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: by Leo Sidrin. Our editors are Francesco Levi and Rick Shine. 199 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: Francesca Levi is Bloomberg's head of podcasts. Thanks for listening.