Business Travel Won't Return Until Mask Mandates No Longer Needed

I don't want to debate masks on planes. Let's just say so.

Planes are safer than indoor settings where masks are not required.
Some protective benefit is provided by masks.
If you want to protect yourself and others, then you should get a better mask.

Before there were vaccines and good treatments for Covid-19, the masks gave people confidence to travel. It is comforting to see everyone else wearing a mask, even if it is uncomfortable, because you are in close quarters with other people.

The outgoing American Airlines CEO made a point in his opening remarks to employees after completing the carrier's fourth quarter earnings call. His comments suggested that masks were an impediment to business travel. Lifting masking requirements is going to be part of the return to normal.

Dr. Fauci is one of the Biden administration insiders who believes that masking should be required on planes forever. The political realities suggest that requirements need to be lifted before the elections. Airlines, politicians and the world need to return to normal so that they can declare victory over the virus.

There is a good chance that Omicron will end the Pandemic with higher levels of background immunity, vaccine boosers, and highly effective treatments like Paxlovid.

There is a continued requirement for masks due to the virus surge, and how it affects business travel.

Business travel is needed to get back to where it was. Business travel starts to tick up when the world looks like it will get back to normal, as it did in July and November.
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It's anything that gets people to where we all have to wear a mask again, and for companies that have not yet brought people back to work, they delay that. It has been delayed for a lot of companies. It will come back, and when it does business return, we will be profitable.

There are masks in this picture. Around the corner, he sees normal. He had to walk back a suggestion to Congress that masks aren't necessary on planes.

I am okay with masks, but not so much as to pretend they do more than they do. I wanted to wear them during flu season because I don't want to get sick, I have too much going on for the forced downtime. I don't hate masks either. They are a distraction from fixing our institutions that have failed us during the Pandemic like FDA and CDC, and from doubling down on testing, vaccines, and treatment.

Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines, said at Congressional hearings this week that masks don't provide much benefit in air travel. "I concur," said American Airlines CEO Doug Parker. Over the summer, I was walking that back.

December 17, 2021.

"Airlines"

If you're notvaccinated, you're still required to wear a mask in airports and on planes through September 13, even though the CDC says science supports not wearing a mask indoors. Pete Buttigieg argued that mask mandates should remain on planes.

May 31, 2021.

"Airlines"

At a recent American Airlines employee question and answer event, a flight attendant asked the CEO about frequent inflight incidents with passengers, and the recording was reviewed by View From The Wing. Much of it is due to the masks. Parker predicts that...

June 26, 2021.

"Airlines"