A Silver Lining to COVID-19

[AJK]

I don't know about anyone else, and I'm empathetic to the folks on the ground having to take unpaid leave, etc., but after years of devaluations and cutbacks, I'm experiencing tremendous schadenfreude at the airlines' current COVID predicament, particularly Kirby and Co. having to deal with the mess that comes with addressing a 70%+ decline in bookings.

[yuneeq]

If this goes on for an extended amount of time (6+ months), any chance we might return to the golden age of award travel? Not just while the virus is spreading, but for a couple of years after.

[shwarmabob]

they might go bankrupt first and then you lose all your points

[knowitall]

If this goes on for an extended amount of time (6+ months), any chance we might return to the golden age of award travel? Not just while the virus is spreading, but for a couple of years after.

I doubt it, reality is that the 4 big mergers killed it.

[PlatinumGuy]

They will get modifications to labor contracts they don't like, government money to stay afloat, and emerge stronger.

[NotMeirKey]

I don't know about anyone else, and I'm empathetic to the folks on the ground having to take unpaid leave, etc., but after years of devaluations and cutbacks, I'm experiencing tremendous schadenfreude at the airlines' current COVID predicament, particularly Kirby and Co. having to deal with the mess that comes with addressing a 70%+ decline in bookings.

[zale]

If this goes on for an extended amount of time (6+ months), any chance we might return to the golden age of award travel? Not just while the virus is spreading, but for a couple of years after.

No chance. First, if China is telling the truth, then the virus can be quelled within 6 weeks. Second, I expect a travel surge once this is over. Airlines will want to recoup their losses.

[Sam Finkelstein]

No chance. First, if China is telling the truth, then the virus can be quelled within 6 weeks. Second, I expect a travel surge once this is over. Airlines will want to recoup their losses.

China took some very extreme measures that are impractical in most civilized countries.

[stooges44]

China took some very extreme measures that are impractical in most civilized countries.

I wouldn't call sealing people in their homes and carting away others impractical, it's more like tyrannical

[yuneeq]

China isn’t over yet, it’s declining. And speaking with my factories, they’re all still wearing masks and sanitizing everywhere. Don’t be surprised if China gets a 2nd wave, they’ve already been getting cases imported from Italy and elsewhere.

[PlatinumGuy]

China isn’t over yet, it’s declining. And speaking with my factories, they’re all still wearing masks and sanitizing everywhere. Don’t be surprised if China gets a 2nd wave, they’ve already been getting cases imported from Italy and elsewhere.

Never understood how China cut it so dramatically. It wasn't the draconian Wuhan measures, bc it was pretty well spread outside.

[Ergel]

Never understood how China cut it so dramatically. It wasn't the draconian Wuhan measures, bc it was pretty well spread outside.

They did it by eliminating home isolation. Any symptoms? Go to a fever clinic. Tested by someone in protective gear. Isolated until results come back. If positive, isolation away from all family.
Apparently, they even had people outside buildings taking people's temperature. If you have temperature, no entry

[yuneeq]

They did it by eliminating home isolation. Any symptoms? Go to a fever clinic. Tested by someone in protective gear. Isolated until results come back. If positive, isolation away from all family.
Apparently, they even had people outside buildings taking people's temperature. If you have temperature, no entry

They take (Not took) temperature everywhere. They went home to home testing people inside (not just outside) for fever. They had checkpoints everywhere on the road stopping cars to take temperature. They have every factory testing workers twice a day. And so on. Worth mentioning that fever is by far the most common symptom, seen in up to 98% of symptomatic cases.

[Ergel]

They take (Not took) temperature everywhere. They went home to home testing people inside (not just outside) for fever. They had checkpoints everywhere on the road stopping cars to take temperature. They have every factory testing workers twice a day. And so on. Worth mentioning that fever is by far the most common symptom, seen in up to 98% of symptomatic cases.

Yup. Seems pretty clear the two biggest drivers of their control of the disease have been early identification and effective quarantine. Neither of which is being done anywhere else