LOCAL NEWS

Airlines cut back on flights as coronavirus scares away travelers

Mar 24, 2020, 7:51 AM
Southwest 737 MAX Boeing, airlines...
Airlines are cutting flights left and right. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

Airlines are cutting back service as demand for flights continues to plummet.

Boeing to suspend production operations in response to coronavirus

Seattle’s Morning News co-host Dave Ross saw that demand firsthand over the weekend, flying from Pittsburgh to Seattle, with just 56 people on the plane with him.

The passengers just aren’t there, and like we have discussed about Sound Transit and Metro, it just doesn’t make sense for the airlines to be running empty flights.

Alaska Airlines has announced that it will cut 200 flights a day for the rest of the month; that’s out of about 1,300 daily flights. The airline will park 30 of its jets around the country during this move. Alaska’s fleet numbers about 230 planes.

It’s expected to gut its service to Hawaii, since the governor there has said anyone who flies into the state must go into a 14-day quarantine.

Tips on staying sane and healthy working from home

Southwest Airlines is close to making the same call on flights to Hawaii. Southwest will be cutting 1,500 flights a day, starting Friday; that’s out of around 4,000 daily flights.

American Airlines has cut international flights by 75%. Domestic flight cuts have reached 30% through April. Delta plans to cut 70% of all of its flights, parking at least 600 planes. United has cut at least 60% of its flights.

If you have upcoming travel on any airline, be sure to have some time carved out to work with customer service. I’ve been hearing from friends that hold times can be in the hours.

Local News

Dan Rocha...
Gwen Baumgardner, KIRO 7 News

Community honors fallen Everett police officer Dan Rocha one year after line-of-duty death

Online tributes continue to pour in on the one-year anniversary after the death of Everett police officer Dan Rocha.
20 hours ago
Tacoma homicide...
KIRO Newsradio Newsdesk

Homicide detectives investigating after man found dead in Tacoma

Homicide detectives are investigating after a man's body was found dead Saturday morning along South Tacoma Way.
20 hours ago
Space Needle...
Julia Dallas, KIRO 7 News

Space Needle joining other national landmarks in going dark Saturday for climate change awareness

The Space Needle is joining 190 other countries’ and territories’ national landmarks in going dark on Saturday, March 25.
20 hours ago
Lakewood Police...
Lisa Brooks

Police: Infant grazed by bullet after shooting in Lakewood

An infant was grazed by a bullet and hit by broken glass after a shooting Friday night in Lakewood. There is no information on a suspect.
20 hours ago
March Madness...
Nate Connors

Weekend Traffic Report: NCAA March Madness comes to town

NCAA Women's Basketball is heading to Climate Pledge Arena Friday through Monday. Friday's game starts at 4:30 p.m.
2 days ago
Narasimhan...
Bill Kaczaraba

Starbucks CEO Narasimhan plans to ‘reinvent’ the company

Starbucks new CEO Laxman Narasimhan held his first shareholder meeting Thursday and offered proposals to reinvent the company.
2 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Emergency Preparedness...

Prepare for the next disaster at the Emergency Preparedness Conference

Being prepared before the next emergency arrives is key to preserving businesses and organizations of many kinds.
SHIBA volunteer...

Volunteer to help people understand their Medicare options!

If you’re retired or getting ready to retire and looking for new ways to stay active, becoming a SHIBA volunteer could be for you!
safety from crime...

As crime increases, our safety measures must too

It's easy to be accused of fearmongering regarding crime, but Seattle residents might have good reason to be concerned for their safety.
Comcast Ready for Business Fund...
Ilona Lohrey | President and CEO, GSBA

GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund

GSBA, Comcast, and other partners are working to address disparities in access to financial resources with the Ready for Business fund.
SHIBA WA...

Medicare open enrollment is here and SHIBA can help!

The SHIBA program – part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner – is ready to help with your Medicare open enrollment decisions.
Lake Washington Windows...

Choosing Best Windows for Your Home

Lake Washington Windows and Doors is a local window dealer offering the exclusive Leak Armor installation.
Airlines cut back on flights as coronavirus scares away travelers