With everyone from the CDC to Dr. Fauci to Governor Edwards warning people against air travel and gathering of family members, some are going against the flow.
“In the last 7 days we have seen over a million cases reported of COVID-19,” Dr. Erin Sauber-Schatz from the CDC told WWL-TV. “We've also seen dramatic increases in hospitalizations and also increasing deaths.”
Still, departures at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport are up 10% over the previous week.
There were even some long lines for travelers.
Agreed, the lines and the crowds were nothing like they were before the pandemic, they were still long enough to be noticed.
One traveler, Ron Stewart drove in from Fairhope, AL to hop a flight to San Antonio to see his grandson.
“I would not have chosen to travel had it not been for the grandson,” Stewart told the TV broadcaster.
“This mask, sanitizing, I have in my bag hand wipes that I will wipe down the hotel room that I’m staying in,” Stewart said. “I have hand sanitizers and I’m keeping my distance from other people the best that I can.”
While Stewart is flying regionally, another passenger waiting for a flight at MSY is headed for Guatemala.
“I fly about once a week,” April Nielsen said. “(The airlines) take strict precautions with making sure everyone has a mask. If not, they’ll provide one for you. They give you sanitizer and hand wipes to wipe everything down, so it is safe to travel.”