US airlines ‘are preparing to virtually shutdown flights nationwide because government officials fear air traffic control will be paralyzed by virus’
- Air traffic controllers fell sick at Chicago and New York’s JFK airport last week
- Officials believe the coronavirus will only see more controllers become ill
- Airlines in conjunction with controllers are believed to be working on a plan to completely shutdown all passenger flight across the country as virus takes hold
- Many airlines have already reduced their schedule by as much as 40%
- Of the flights that are flying many are no more than 15% full
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Airlines in the United States are believed to be working on plans for a complete shutdown of all passenger flights across the nation and the country’s air-traffic control system begins to feel the affects of coronavirus.
Air traffic controllers fell ill at two of the nation’s busiest airports last week including JFK and Chicago. It saw hundreds of flights delayed or even cancelled as a result.
The fear is that as the pandemic takes hold, more air traffic controllers will be off sick making the workload of controlling the nation’s skies impossible for those who remain in the towers.
Air traffic controllers fell sick at Chicago and New York’s JFK airport last week
Officials believe the coronavirus will only see more controllers become ill as the pandemic continues to worsens. Pictured, The inside of the control tower at LAX airport in LA
The Transportation Security Administration noted that the numbers of passengers passing through security checkpoints was down by 80% compared to the same weekend last year
Nearly a dozen traffic-control facilities have had to be temporarily closed to be disinfected and cleaned according to the Wall Street Journal.
The pressure on those who remain as more and more employees stay at home on self-quarantine
The shutdown, which would be voluntary, could see almost all flights apart from cargo planes being stopped for a period of time in a move not seen since 9/11 and the days following the terror attacks in 2001.
Although no final decisions are believed to have been made by either the airlines or The White House, the complete halt to air travel would also help airlines who are struggling to keep flying.
Of the flights that are flying many are no more than 15% full. Pictured, an air traveler sits among empty seats on a Delta flight to San Francisco from New York, seen last week after further cases of coronavirus were confirmed
On occasion, President Trump had spoken of the possibility of domestic travel bans in an effort to stop people traveling while cities and states attempt to ‘flatten the curve’ of the coronavirus outbreak.
Many flights are running with passenger numbers at around 15 per cent of their usual capacity.
But Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House’s virus task force said, ‘There’s no plan today, or tomorrow to seriously consider’ mandating an end to domestic passenger air travel.
Over the last week, airport in Chicago and New York have delayed flights after air traffic controllers tested positive for the virus.
On Tuesday, Chicago Midway’s Air Traffic Control Tower shut down late afternoon after three workers tested positive for COVID-19.
It resulted in 200 flights being cancelled as air traffic had to be reduced.
Many airlines have reduced their schedule by as much as 40% and have cancelled flights
The virus also struck JFK airport in New York when an Air Traffic Control worker fell ill with the virus.
With the pandemic continuing to spread and with mandatory stay-at-home orders for 80 million Americans airline executives, pilot-union leaders and federal transportation officials believe there will be further reductions in the numbers of passengers traveling and in the number of flights being scheduled.
Most U.S. airlines have dropped most of their international routes to Asia, Europe, South America and Canada, with further plans to reduce domestic flying by around 40 per cent while the bulk of potential travelers continue to stay home.
This weekend, the Transportation Security Administration noted that the numbers of passengers passing through security checkpoints was down by 80% compared to the same weekend last year.
American Airlines passenger planes crowd a runway where they are parked due to flight reductions made to slow the spread of coronavirus disease at Tulsa International Airport
