The billion dollar new terminal at Armstrong International Airport was built to handle a lot things. But the response, the reaction, to coronavirus wasn’t one of them.
Caroline Schmidt is from Mandeville and lives in Manhattan. Her Delta flight from New York LaGuardia International Airport arrived just before ten this morning. Usually a big wide body jet with a lot of people coming to New Orleans for conventions, conferences, cruises and fun.
“There were nine people on the flight,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt was coming home to be with family and to get out of Manhattan before the entire island is put on lockdown.
Ardin, a native of New Orleans, goes to school in Washington D.C. His classes all on line, now he’s on his way home aboard American from Reagan National Airport.
Frank and Nancy are on their way home to Mississippi, they arrived just after ten from Houston.
“Out of 150 seats, about 34 passengers,” Frank said. “It’s been a long time since I was on a plane that empty.”
According to Nancy, America’s fourth largest city was pretty much buttoned up.
“Everybody is working from home,” she says disappointed. “They’re offering take out. You can call in and request what you want and go pick it up, but I don’t think they’re doing any indoor service.”
Passengers leaving New Orleans on flights talked about expectations crushed by the virus.
“We tried to come for vacation,” Summer from Durango, Colorado said. “But we ended up stranded in our Airbnb the entire time.”
Summer laughs as she describes: “That’s OK we drank lots of wine and play Clue the whole time!”
Now it’s a nearly empty flight to Newark and an overnight flight back to England.
This is a far cry from the heady days of Thanksgiving, Christmas and the College Football National Championship.
The terminal is almost operating in slow motion, with passengers trickling in and out.
