The future of airline travel.  Is the new normal model sustainable for the airline industry?  We think not.  Airplanes flying at half capacity when airlines were already operating with thin margins at full capacity will not be viable for many of the major carriers.

And what about passengers?  Airports and TSA are implementing new safety measures but the reality is that they are not very effective.  Social distancing is not respected, masks are worn randomly, not to mention the amount of people that simply cover their faces partially with a bandanna or any other type of makeshift. non-filtering fabric material.  Right now, it's up to the passengers to determine their health status before boarding a flight. 

For airlines to operate at full capacity, some type of pre-boarding, rapid COVID-19 test will be required.  Perhaps even presenting proof of passing a test 24 hrs before the flight.  Very similar to the type of frequent testing being performed by major sports leagues as they resume their seasons.

Meanwhile, we're in the middle of the summer now and nobody seems to know whether schools will be open to students this fall, at what capacity, or even if they will remain closed until the end of the year. Parents are torn between sending their children to school, or shuffling their own work schedules if their children are staying home instead.

And retailers are starting to make plans for a Holiday Season full of challenges.  Black Friday may never be the traditional Black Friday rush to the stores that we've been used to experiencing over the past years.  Walmart and other retailers starting to realize that they may have to cancel their in-store Black Friday plans as they are deemed potential hotbeds for spreading COVID-19. 

Welcome to the new Cyber Friday!  This year's Black Friday may very well be entirely online.  Get ready for the biggest money making period in the history of eCommerce.  And if you're not ready... well, let's not get too negative yet.

What do you think?  Take a listen and let us know your thoughts.

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