Warnings against non-essential air travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic have hit airlines with a downturn worse than they experienced after the 9/11 attacks, but the industry is strong and will recover, JetBlue President Joanna Geraghty says.
"JetBlue and airline industry is better prepared from a bottom-line standpoint," Geraghty told USA Today on Wednesday. "We're nimble."
Further, she told USA Today that for people "outside the high-risk category," flying remains "as safe as anything else in your life."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has categorized air travel as a medium risk for exposure to coronavirus, advising older people and those with serious underlying health issues to stay off planes.
JetBlue has waived cancel or change fees for flights that are booked through April 30 for travel through Oct. 24 and is looking to cut capacity by 5% in upcoming months.
Even before the World Health Organization declared a global coronavirus pandemic Wednesday, companies had been canceling conferences and warning employees to avoid travel. Further, demand is falling as cities and states ban large gatherings of people and several major events are being canceled, including the annual South by Southwest and Coachella music festivals.
Geraghty would not say how much JetBlue's demand has fallen. However, Amtrack on Wednesday, in comparison, sent an email to employees reporting a 50% decline in bookings and a 300% increase in cancellations.
Meanwhile, she said the airline is deep-cleaning all of its planes, including walls, ceilings, and bathrooms. It is also reducing touchpoints for passengers, and providing them with disinfectant wipes.
The CDC will also notify the carrier if any passengers test positive for the disease, and others on the same flight will be notified.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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