“We are ready for take-off”
Airlines are ready for takeoff
with a series of precautions
to insure the safety and
well-being of the flying public
and airport workers that they
hope will encourage people to
begin to enjoy flying again.
The town hall opened up
with an introduction by Port
Authority Executive Director
Rick Cotton explaining that
infrastructure is the most
important aspect of progress
during the Covid crisis. He
walked through the beginning
of the need for airport
infrastructure improvements
with the infamous remarks
from Joe Biden to a video
showing off the new Terminal
B at LaGuardia airport. Cotton
proudly described all the
new efficiencies, amenities
and awesome architectural
features of the terminal with
50% more tarmac, more accessibility
and room to better
navigate. He said Port has responded
to safety and health
issues that are now necessary
with temp checks, face coverings,
safety briefings, enhanced
cleaning, hand sanitizers,
stations throughout
this new and existing Delta
terminals .
His message has been clear
in the reporting of thousands
of newly created jobs, through
a renovated and soon to be rebuilt
LaGuardia Airport. He
said that he believes that nothing
succeeds like someone
having and job and pointed to
the support of Congressional
leaders for the funding that
the Port is seeking./
He said, “ Air travel numbers
are hugely depressed.
Question of when, not if air
travel will increase. NYC is
an economic epicenter. We are
being prepared by enhancing
airports to the maximum extent.
However, the Port is in
a$3 billion hole in revenues
over next 24 months. We are
advocating strongly for redevelopment
but our ability on
our capital plan, as previously
announced is highly compromised.
We are moving project
by project to keep as many on
the table but there is no way to
pursue scale and timetable to
do without funding.”
Grech responded to Cotton
by saying” It is nice
to hear plane fly overhead
again. which represents jobs
and economy” and thanked
8 AIRPORT VOICE, JULY 2020
the Port for its commitment
to Queens and NYC marketplace.
Stephanie Baldwin, of
Delta at JFK thanked the
Queens Chamber for their
leadership and and-thanked
Port for everything they are
doing. Baldwin acknowledged
that Delta is at a flight
capacity of around 17% in
late June which should grow
to 25% in July and more in
August. But she cautioned
growth due to the domestic
NYS travel advisory and
the restrictions by the EU
to flights coming from the
US. saying “Hopeful work
out sooner than later.” She
described that measures
taken by Delta are similar
to threshholds that NY and
has for phasing in changes
such as the Global Cleanliness
panel. Baldwin detailed
that Delta sanitizes 100% aircraft
everyday-electrostatic,
recirculating air every 2-6
mons with fresh or HEPA
filters, face masks required,
non negotiable for every portion
of the travel ribbon with
hand sanitizers around the
airport.3 things very important
Delta capping economy
seating factor at 60% ; 50%
for business, not compromising
on safety. 2- care kits to
customers without masks,
card and hand sanitixer3-we
are dong temp checks before
coming to work. Started Covid
testing for 100% of workforce
using a national health
laboratory to do the testing.
Jeff Goodell from JetBlue
referred to the other participants
and saying that “ We are
all focused on the same mission
making it safe to fly. We
bring high value for safety,
first with face coverings, minimizing
touch points and social
distance as we can. Capacity
wise he mentioned that
JetBlue is at 25-30% of pre Covid
schedule and plan to be
around 50-60% by August.
Goodell said JetBlue is
capping seating to 50-60% on
most aircraft until end of July.
He said that the NY travel advisory
will impact travel but
that JetBlue recognize unexpected
challenges and supports
and are partners of what
the government is doing.
Goodell acknowledged
that the 14 day domestic quarantine
form as many states
presents an short term challenge,
which is a hodge-podge
of rules and can make it complicated
but JetBlue supports
the public health mission and
looks forward to perhaps producing
a Covid test that can
help mitigate the effect on flying
restrictions.
He said, “When the public
is ready, come back and travel
with us. We are “Safety from
the Ground UP”
David Harvey of South-
West focused on the business
traveler and believes it will
pick up. Business travelers
need safety and the number
of flights to get back in service
he said. To demonstrate confidence
to these individuals
Southwest is also adhering to
the basic hygiene implementations
that the others are doing
with social distancing and
seat allocation. They are capping
the capacity to 2/3 of the
plane until September 30th or
longer.
They are looking at 100% capacity
for the holidays which
now stands at 20%, then 40%
in the fall according to Harvey.
They are capping 66% seating
of the aircraft until September
30 or end of the year. Their
flight capacity is to 20 now and
in the fall 40 and reinstating
100% holiday capacity.
He said, “ We have gone
promise, need to deliver,
cleanliness is key, comfort
and confidence level. ‘
In relation to the business
traveler, Baldwin is not sure
they will come back as quickly
as Delta initially thought. It
has changed due to virtual
meetings she said. Just thus
week Delta President d Bastion
cautioned it would take
12-24 months to reach sustainability.
Goodell agreed and said
business has adjusted to seeing
people virtually due to
the economic hit, and they are
“watching their travel spend.”
Mike Erbeck of United
said they are have also implemented
temperature checks
and mask wearing.
We are looking to get back
in air but now limited by restrictions
hot spots but United
is committed to our region.
In terms of business travel,
he said that they are used to
the computer now, but it comes
down to competition. When the
competition begins to again
meet client face-to-face they
will get back on the road. They
will get used to the new travel
world and see the comfort is
there. He said, “The biz traveler
will come back. It is a big deal to
be face-to-face. “
The panelists offered their
varying opinions about the
immediate future of flying
with Baldwin saying that the
EU’s recent implementation of
quarantining Americans has
unknown implications. She
pointed out that the Euro citizen
can go home but it is tough
for American citizens go
abroad. In terms of vacation
travel it is complicated with
some Caribbean vacation restrictions
but San Juan Santo
Domingo om San Santiago are
recently fling again. She rhetorically
asked, “What do you
do when you get there with
closed destinations?” Erbeck
believes that the infection rate
has to go down before travelling
internationally. Need infection
rate to go down. The
hot destinations like Florida
are now a trouble spot because
of the high rate of new infections.
Goodall said that JetBlue
will wait until 2021 wait until
to get to London. He sees
25-50 % capacity in July in
number of lights. JetBlue is
seeing more of the Caribbean
that they can get to. as they
recently opened the Dominican
Republic as Delta began to
serve the DR as well.
JetBlue- confident about future.
Fly when you are ready.
Erbeck said they need the
federal government to do rapid
Covid testing or have citizens
be able to produce health certificates
to expedite travel in
current restricted countries.
He used himself as an example
of flying saying
“Biz will come back. I
started flying Memorial Day.’.
Baldwin compassionately
remarked, We are all in it
together. We will all come
through this together. I fly
almost every weekend. I am
very confident in flying and
feel clean. I am germaphobe.
so I know how hard everyone
is working to make a safe environment
for our customers.”
At the conclusion of the
meeting, Grech said, “ You
guys are doing all the right
things. Thank You.”
Airline execs invite the public back
Ready to Fly. Rick Cotton, Charles Everett of the Port Authority with CEO JFKIAT Roel Huinink with new T4 health
signage. Photo by Jeff Yapalater