Coronavirus panic: Virus has impacts on the traveling industry

With the coronavirus on many people’s minds, businesses like the travel industry say that they are seeing some impact.

News 12 Staff

Mar 7, 2020, 3:10 AM

Updated 1,683 days ago

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With the coronavirus on many people’s minds, businesses like the travel industry say that they are seeing some impact.
Many people are left wondering if they should go ahead with travel plans. Should they go to crowded airports or get on cramped airplanes whiled the virus makes its way through the United States?
Newark Liberty International Airport felt seemingly empty on Friday. Some of the few travelers that were there were sporting masks as they walked off the plane into Terminal C. A flight from Los Angeles was wide open.
“I had my Lysol wipes. I wiped everything down,” says traveler Cynthia Zucker.
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Zucker says that she was in Los Angeles for business. She says that she is trying not to panic because she will need to travel again in two weeks for work.
“For me, as long as my company doesn’t say, ‘Don’t travel,’ I’ll keep traveling,” she says.
Ron Bailey says that he was on a flight from Atlanta that was packed.
“I walk around and see people with the mask on and get a little worried, but it’s just hygiene to me,” he says.
As fear takes over, some travel agencies say families are canceling trips. One family at the airport said that they have already canceled a trip to Rome for next month. People who didn’t have to absolutely travel were found to be opting out.
Other families are waiting to see if fares will fall as they book for Spring Break. Want to go see the Grand Canyon? A roundtrip to Phoenix on American Airlines is $128. Looking for a Disney vacation? If you leave on April 5, you can get there round trip on Spirit Airlines for $144.
Disney says that the parks will remain open for now. According to Disney World’s website, there is easy access to handwashing facilities and hand sanitizers. And frequent cleaning and “wash down" of outdoor locations.
But going away on a cruise poses its own risks. The Grand Princess is anchored off San Francisco with 21 people who have tested positive for coronavirus.
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"We're due to go home on Saturday. Obviously, we don't know whether we're going to be quarantined for 2 weeks or what's happening,” says passenger Sharon Lane-Simon.
Other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean have stated they will not be sailing in Asia and they won't allow boarding for anyone who has been to China, Italy, Iran, or South Korea in the last 15 days.
The Trump administration is reportedly considering tax breaks to offset losses suffered by cruise ships, airlines and hotels.
News 12 will host a 30-minute call-in show Monday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. where experts will answer your questions about the coronavirus. The show will be followed by a special Facebook Live Q&A.