Travel demand slowly picks up, SFO to resume overseas flights

Airlines say they are seeing a moderate increase in passengers, as they try to entice and reassure travelers ahead of the summer travel season that has been upended by the global coronavirus pandemic and travel restrictions.

The Transportation Security Administration's latest data shows the number of airport screenings in the past three days has hit its highest level since the coronavirus travel restrictions began, with up to 250,000 passengers per day compared to just 90,000 in mid-April.

That still is far below the 2.6 million passengers screened the same time last year.

Any improvement is welcome, however, and some airlines are even planning to resume routes that had been shut down.

"Starting on June 1st we're going to resume flights to Europe," said Doug Yakel, an SFO spokesman, "The first will be Swiss Airlines which is going to be operating one flight a week beginning June 1st to Zurich. And then later in month of June we'll see Lufthansa return with 3 flights a week to Munich. "This will be the first non-stop service from SFO to Europe that we've seen since April 1st." 

Another airline, All Nippon Airways plans to resume a flight to Tokyo. Flights to China remain shut down, however, despite United Airline's interest in resuming their routes. 

"A lot of these international flights require governmental approval, so it will really require the approval of the Chinese government for United to resume some of those flights," said Yakel. 

Demand has been low.

At SFO, Yakel says daily security screenings are just 3,000 compared to 75,000 this time last year.

"We've seen a slight uptick in activity in the month of May compared to April, but we're still way off from what we normally see here," said Yakel. 

Airlines have been offering deep discounts on flights with no fees for changing itineraries, and have been trying to reassure people that they are taking steps to make their planes safe during this coronavirus pandemic.

"What they all need maybe is a chief psychologist. Because we're really looking at the psychology of the traveling public," Richard Bloom, M.D., at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Concern over health and safety is prompting the travel industry to take new measures such as mandatory masks in airports and planes, hand-sanitizing stations and wipes, social distancing and no-touch scanners.

There are also new cleaning protocols.

United Airlines even announced it has purchased electrostatic sprayers to disinfect aircraft.

"We purchased 750 of these devices which are ordinarily used to disinfect a hospital room," said Josh Earnest, United Airlines' Chief of Communications.

Some passengers say they feel comfortable with the new measures.

"I saw that quite a lot of precautions are being taken. I did not feel uncomfortable. We felt safe," said Kobita Bora, an airline passenger flying with her children from Chicago through SFO to India.

"Everyone (was) wearing a mask and maintaining a social distancing, being cautious," said Ravi Madhati, a traveler from Seattle.

At Oakland International Airport, passenger traffic in April was down 96% from the same time last year.

A spokeswoman says, however, they've had no layoffs and says they are making preparations for passengers to come back.

"That markings are down on the floors, that the airport is appropriately sanitized and cleaned for passengers coming to the airport," said Keonnis Taylor, spokeswoman for Oakland International Airport.

"Our hope is that as an industry, there is a consistent set of expectations that are being applied, so travelers really know regardless of what airline they're flying on they know what to expect," said Yakel.

Yakel says SFO is still under orders to operate for essential travelers only, not for recreational travel.

He says it will be up to health officials to decide whether that changes for summer travel.

Some SFO airport workers with the SEIU say they are planning to protest Wednesday, calling for hazard pay and paid sick leave during the coronavirus pandemic.

Jana Katsuyama is a reporter for KTVU.  Email Jana at jana.katsuyama@foxtv.com and follow her on Twitter@JanaKTVU