CLEVELAND — Flights taking off from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport are few and far between. Like at other airports around the country, most planes are parked on the tarmac with nowhere to go. The number of non-stop flights in and out of Cleveland have also been reduced during the pandemic.
And the flight stats for Cleveland aren't good. From this April compared to last April, the total passengers are down a little over 96% and total aircraft landings are down 76% over the same period.
Those decreases are affecting the bottom lines of airlines and airports alike. Typically, airlines have to have at least a 65-70% load factor to stay profitable.
But as Memorial Day Weekend approaches, airport leaders expect to see an uptick. To prepare, they've been thoroughly cleaning using sprayers to disinfect high traffic areas, scattered hand sanitizing stations around terminals, and encouraging passengers to wear masks and keep apart form one another. You'll also see plastic shields added at ticket counters.
There are a couple of other changes to note. Parking lots at the airport are free for the time being, although there aren't many people using them. Also, TSA is only utilizing the South Checkpoint until the number of travelers pick up. And when it does, take the necessary steps to stay healthy.
We all know the travel industry was hit hard by the pandemic. But now that states are starting to open back up, airlines are hoping customers are willing to travel once again.