E-Paper
Covid-19: He was the lone passenger on a US flight, got VIP treatment
International seat capacity has dropped by almost 80 per cent from a year ago, suggesting the aviation industry may take years to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
A man in United States got a VIP treatment when he boarded a flight from Ft. Lauderdale to St. Louis (both in the US) on Thursday.
Bob Pitts was surprised to find himself as the only passenger on the flight, and documented the entire experience in a series of video which he later gave to NBC News.
He called it a “very, very, very unique experience” and recorded the conversation with the crew “as there was nobody to talk to”, according to NBC News.
Pitts was headed to St Louis for his mother’s wake. He travelled in the flight wearing a bandanna as a face covering.
The crew thanked Pitts “for coming along with us”, and even presented the safety instructions, but in a humourous way. Pitts was asked to wear his seatbelt, and ensure that the tray table is in its most “uncomfortable” position, according to the NBC report based on his videos.
He was personally greeted by the flight attendant and pilot.
The coronavirus pandemic has hit the aviation sector very hard. International seat capacity has dropped by almost 80 per cent from a year ago and half the world’s airplanes are in storage, suggesting the aviation industry may take years to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
Carriers including United Airlines Holdings Inc and Air New Zealand Ltd have warned they are likely to emerge from the crisis smaller, and there are fears others may not survive.
Planemakers are looking at drastic cuts in wide-body production amid a slump in demand for the industry’s largest jetliners, manufacturing and supplier sources said.
Deliveries of long-range jets, such as the Boeing Co 777 or 787 and Airbus SE A350 or A330, have been particularly badly hit as airlines seek deferrals and many withhold progress payments.
