The new number is approaching the pandemic record of Wednesday, when almost 1.2 million people flew – and represents the third day with the busiest air travel in the USA since it appeared in March.
While Saturday’s TSA traffic accounted for only 45% of air traffic a day after Christmas a year ago, it means many people are still traveling – what Dr. Anthony Fauci called “worrying” when he spoke with Wolf Blitzer last week. . Earlier this month, the CDC released a language urging people not to travel.
Air travel has increased in the last week, when the number of air travel in the US reached almost or more than one million passengers for six consecutive days. TSA figures show that approximately 9 million people have been examined at TSA checkpoints since the December 18 holiday began.
Prior to Wednesday, the previous pandemic record was set on Sunday after Thanksgiving.
The increase in air travel raises new fears on the part of health experts that there will be another increase in coronavirus infections, similar to an increase recorded after Thanksgiving.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged Americans to stay home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The rise in air travel raises new fears among health experts about another jump in Covid-19 infections, similar to an increase in the previous record of the air travel pandemic set around Thanksgiving Day.
The increase in travel also comes as executives at several airlines seek to bring back thousands of workers who were hired in the fall due to the depressed number of travelers.
Congress’ latest Covid-19 rescue bill includes an extension of the airline’s Wage Support Program, which provides $ 15 billion in assistance to employ more than 32,000 United (UAL) and American airlines (AAL) employees were launched in September. The companies say the extra funds are enough to pay those workers by March 31.