Benjamin Goggin
An empty jet bridge at MSP Airport Friday, April 3, 2020.
- Domestic air travel has come to a near standstill amid the coronavirus outbreak sweeping across the United States.
- But there are still a handful of of flights available for passengers with necessary travel.
- I took one of them to Minnesota on April 3 to help support my family during the crisis, and the experience shocked me.
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Air travel has come to a near-complete halt in the United States as the coronavirus pandemic crests on each coast, ripping through cities like New York City and Seattle and surging inward.
Delta, one of the world's largest airlines in 2019, said in a memo Friday that it's seen a 95% reduction in demand, resulting in nearly 80% of its flights being canceled, following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention against domestic travel from certain states.
Despite the cancellations, a handful of flights are still shepherding passengers across the country for necessary travel.
After quarantining in my apartment for over two weeks, I flew home on April 3 to help support my family during the crisis. Before greeting them, I'll be self-quarantining away from them for an additional two weeks.
The travel experience was unlike anything I'd ever seen.
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