coronavirus

Travel Picks Up in the Bay Area as COVID-19 Restrictions Loosen

NBC Universal, Inc.

With restrictions loosening up, it looks like things are moving in the right direction and it appears people are looking in their attics and sweeping the dust off of their luggage -- maybe a preview of travel this summer.

At the beginning of the pandemic, the Oakland International Airport was pretty empty and now, things are picking up around there, as an indication of what travel will look like this summer.

With restrictions loosening up, it looks like things are moving in the right direction and it appears people are looking in their attics and sweeping the dust off of their luggage -- maybe a preview of travel this summer. Cheryl Hurd reports.

The Vargas Family flew into Oakland from Texas Thursday night, Julio said he’s not letting the pandemic stand in his way

“Everybody has a mask on, I feel safe,” he said. 

Feeling safe is probably why more people are taking to the sky.

“I feel like everyone does their part. Wear their mask and take precautions. Things will work out in the long term,” said traveler Cameron Long, who picked the Bay Area to visit his sister.

That’s what the travel industry is banking on. Airlines are adding flight routes.  Southwest has added 70 routes since last April to add to the gradual return to the skies. Delta, United and American Airlines are doing the same.

Travelers seem to be returning to leisure travel because COVID-19 cases are trending downward.

The question is, is it the right thing to do, right now?

“I think plans for summer or late summer are probably okay right now considering the trajectory the way things are going,” said UCSF Dr. Peter Chin-Hong.

The vaccine rollout is a big factor with the president saying all Americans could get a shot in the arm by the end of May.

Chin-Hong is a little concerned about the way some states are handling mask rules but he’s still optimistic.

“What we may have is regional variation in the disease again in the next few weeks but by summer hopefully that would have settled,” he said.

Chin-Hong is a little leery about international travel but domestically, Florida and Hawaii are hot spots.

Contact Us