Many tech companies were early asking employees to work from home. These companies also ratcheted down business travel early. When Amazon grounded employees two weeks ago I thought that was too early but the rest of the world is now catching up.

While U.S. airlines are shrinking their schedules in the face of government restrictions and reduced demand, travel this past week was much stronger than many people realize. Roughly speaking systemwide load factors were in the 60s, meaning that planes were more than half full.

Next week will be worse. Consultants still had to fly home at the end of the week, but most won't be traveling going forward. Spring break trips have continued to provide some lift. But the slowdown is real, and it's worldwide.

In fact you know that business travel done when the Islamic State declares non-essential trips to be haram.

All non-essential travel to and from virus-hit countries has been suspended for Islamic State jihadis https://t.co/NVal1F4CLg

- Gregg Carlstrom (@glcarlstrom) March 13, 2020

Since ISIS lost its territory in Mosul, Iraq they aren't responsible for event cancellations at the Ninawa International Hotel any longer. Nonetheless, all Islamic State employees will have to conduct jihad as remote workers for the forseeable future.

Filed Under: Not the Onion.

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