[Cabrera:] Most commercial airliners in the United States are still sitting pretty empty waiting for a day when air travel returns to something close to normal. Until then, it is masks for nearly everybody. Strict rules about where you can sit and a massive industry trying to keep passengers safe during a pandemic. Here's CNN aviation correspondent, Pete Muntean.
[Pete Muntean, Cnn Aviation Correspondent:] Packed in passengers might not be the norm right now according to major airlines, but more scenes like this are raising new concerns about whether you can maintain social distancing while flying. Change or cancel a trip because of coronavirus and you are not entitled to a refund according to a new guidance just laid out by the Department of Transportation. It says you can get your money back within a week if it is the airline that cancels. But if you cancel, what you get back is up to the airline. In the U.S., more than half of all airliners are now parked, but more passengers are stepping on board a shrinking fleet. The number of people passing through security has climbed to the highest level in six weeks.
[Barry Biffle, Ceo, Frontier Airlines:] So we're already seeing visiting friends and relatives, kind of our backbone of our business. We're already seeing that start to come back. But it's at a very small level.
[Muntean:] United Airlines will now warn passengers if a flight is near capacity and let them rebook, even though it stresses that most flights are less than half full. All major airlines are now mandating that passengers wear masks, but are not guaranteeing that every middle seat will be empty.
[Rep. Peter Defazio:] We need Federal rules.
[Muntean:] High ranking House Democrats say there is inconsistency and uncertainty in airline policies and want Federal agencies to act.
[Defazio:] I think that we should look carefully at whether or not we require distancing on airplanes, then that could require leaving middle seats open.
[Muntean:] In a statement to CNN, the F.A.A. says its authority lies in safe operation of aircraft and that it is lending aviation expertise to help officials and airlines. Airline workers want more intervention.
[Joe Depete, President, Air Line Pilots Association:] There's a smart way to do this. We need to ensure that we're doing everything we can to prevent unnecessary additional preventable risks for our passengers.
[Muntean:] Without Federal mandates, industry groups say each airline is coming up with its own protocols. Frontier, for instance, will do temperature checks at the gate and may turn you away with a fever higher than 100.4.
[Biffle:] We believe you're safer onboard Frontier, and most airlines for that matter, than most most enclosed buildings.
[Cabrera:] Thanks to Pete Muntean for that report. Let's get someone in here who is plugged into the commercial travel industry more than most of us. Brian Kelly is better known in travel circles as The Points Guy who keeps an eye on trends and prices and deals and destinations. Brian, good to have you. Airline travel is of course the main focus on your site. How far ahead are you looking to see people traveling again in meaningful numbers?
[Brian Kelly, The Points Guy:] You know, it's going to be years until we're back to you know, pre-crisis levels, but we are seeing dramatic increases. And as the world opens up like Italy announced today, Vietnam, we are going to see more and more people booking but it's going to be a long road to recovery.
[Cabrera:] Can people get really good deals on tickets right now?
[Kelly:] Yes, there are some amazing deals, you know, Qatar Airways is now allowing you to book flights and change for free even to other destinations. So, you can book really cheap routes and then change it to a more expensive city pair. So and also using your Frequent Flyer Miles. We've seen dramatic increases even on the top routes where it was almost impossible to get those low level Sabre tickets, and now airlines are releasing those seats because they'd rather have you use your miles then those seats go out empty.
[Cabrera:] We just saw in that report from Pete Muntean that new Federal guidance states airlines are not required to give a refund if a passenger just doesn't feel safe to fly. I've seen a lot of outrage about this on social media. Why do you think airlines are being so stubborn on this and do you see them eventually caving?
[Kelly:] The airlines are being stubborn because they're in crisis mode just to keep the lights on. They're losing crazy amounts of money per day even with the government bailouts. They are in trouble if air traffic doesn't turn around. So, I always recommend to people, use your frequent flyer miles because most airlines have relaxed the rules to get your miles back. So that way you can conserve your cash and use your miles instead for future travel and change it at will.
[Cabrera:] Take a look at this. We have some video. It's a scientific visualization of how droplets can spread in an airline from one person who sneezes or coughs and it basically ends up all over the place. I just wonder, do you feel comfortable getting on a plane right now?
[Kelly:] Well, I just got my third antibody test. Two have said two are now saying that I had it and my pinprick test said I didn't, so I kind of believe that that one was the false test. So, I personally and being in general good health, I do feel comfortable. I don't quite have a flight booked yet. But I would recommend to people, book the window seats where possible. We've actually talked to doctors, put the air vent on blowing away from you. That can help push the spread of the virus. But also, especially on international carriers book, the middle seat. A lot of people if you can't afford business class, it might make sense use miles to book the middle seat to guarantee your safety, because there are just so many unknowns and get a good mask. But just remember, people [inaudible]...
[Ana Cabrera, Cnn:] So the idea of book in the middle seat is that there wouldn't be anybody on either side of you, so you'd have the whole row to yourself?
[Kelly:] Exactly, yes. I mean, airlines like Southwest are making sure that the flights are not going to be over capacity, but most other airlines are not really doing that and they're in crisis mode. They need the cash, so to make sure your environment is safe, you got to do everything possible.
[Cabrera:] Those are all good tips. A journalist this week wrote about her long international flight. It ended with an eight hour wait in Hong Kong to be screened for the coronavirus and the slow process just to be able to leave the airport there. Is her story and extremely case or is that the future of overseas air travel?
[Kelly:] I read that story and was horrified doing the 1830 ` [inaudible 00:01:07] tests spitting into it and waiting on your own results in a dystopian convention hall. But, hopefully not. Iceland has an approach where you get tested on arrival, you're allowed to go to your hotel. And if you do test positive, they make sure you quarantine. So I'm hoping that there's more flexible rules like that. But it's crazy. Every country, every state has different policies. So we really need some federal and international guidance before tourism really bounces back.
[Cabrera:] I mean, eight hours that timeline is enough to like totally turn me off to getting on an international flight. What do you make of the possibility of the TSA implementing temperature checks for passengers as part of the security screening?
[Kelly:] Look, I think it's better than nothing. It's not foolproof. Some asymptomatic people will get through, but I've traveled extensively. We've all seen those people on flights that should not be traveling. And I think just like guns can kill people, we try to prevent them from getting on planes, viruses and public health we need to take more seriously. So I'm all for quick ways for multiple people to be scanned. What we really have to focus on is getting lines shorter. Lines are deadly in this day and age, so using technology to scan people through, check in and security and boarding, using biometrics instead of having a TSA agent, make you wait in line and kind of check to see if your license is actually you, we have technology that will make it safer and faster. So I think the industry as a whole really needs to push to make the whole airport and travel process faster and safer for all passengers and from employees.
[Cabrera:] Brian Kelly, thank you for sharing your insights. Good to have you here.
[Kelly:] Thanks, Ana.
[Cabrera:] Up next, the Georgia shooting grabbing the nation's attention and a new text message revealing how the suspect in Ahmaud Arbery's killing became a point person for police just months before that incident. You're alive in the CNN NEWSROOM.