COVID-19 pandemic prompts questions about the future of air travel, hospitality industry

Air travel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic

The airlines industry has been dealt a massive blow by the coronavirus pandemic - and many are wondering what air travel will look like in its wake.

WASHINGTON - Air Travel has been dealt massive blow by the COVID-19 pandemic. But many wonder what it will look like as things pick back up and return to normal.

Starting this month, most major airlines will require passengers to wear some sort of face covering while traveling and also in flight.

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They’re looking at taking out the middle seat so that passengers aren’t sitting close to one another and potentially spreading the virus.

But the question remains – will the measure work? And will people even opt to take to the skies?

The Airline Pilots Association says 300 of its members have tested positive for COVID-19, and three of them have died. They are demanding that Congress require proper cleaning of the aircrafts and proper personal protective equipment for staff before resuming business as usual.

Research is underway to see whether using UV lights to filter the air could help negate the virus.

If it works, it could be months before that would be rolled out – but it’s providing some with hope.

Meanwhile, the hotel industry faces an uphill battle as America continues to reopen. The industry is currently losing more than $2 billion a week.

The hotel arena and 70 percent of its workers have either been laid off or furloughed during the pandemic.

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Experts say it could take six to 10 months before U.S. hotel demand shows and sign of recovery.