United To Add New Direct Flights To Florida Despite Coronavirus Death Spike

TOPLINE

Florida may be fighting a severe outbreak of the coronavirus, tallying a record number of deaths Tuesday, but United Airlines says that’s where customers want to go this winter, announcing Wednesday that it would add more than two-dozen daily nonstop flights from northern cities to Florida.

KEY FACTS

Crucial quote

“The addition of these new flights represents United’s largest expansion of point-to-point, non-hub flying and reflects our data driven approach to add capacity where customers are telling us they want to go,” Gupta said in a Wednesday statement. “We look forward to offering customers in the Midwest and Northeast more options to fly nonstop to Florida this winter.”

Key Background

United and other airlines have been decimated by the coronavirus pandemic, as customers stay home to quarantine and cancel travel plans. According to the United Nations, the virus cost the global tourism industry $320 billion in just five months and international travel may not bounce back until the end of 2021, experts said. However, according to a Business Insider report citing data from TripIt, a travel app, “an unusually high proportion” of the 6 million Americans planning to travel for Labor Day this year are headed to coronavirus hotspots like Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean. 

Further reading

United bets on sun-seekers with new Florida flights (CNBC)

More Young People Are Dying Of Coronavirus In Florida, As State Shatters Death Record Tuesday (Forbes)

Nearly 1 million Americans plan to fly to Florida over Labor Day weekend. An epidemiologist warns they could undo efforts to contain COVID-19 just before schools reopen. (Business Insider)

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