New data provided by the United States government revealed an estimated 368 million passengers flew in 2020.
According to the Bureau of Transportation, the estimated 368 million travelers taking to the skies during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic was the lowest since carriers reported 351 million passengers flew in 1984.
Officials said April 2020 experienced the most significant drop in U.S. passenger traffic, with just three million people flying, resulting in a 96 percent year-over-year decline and the lowest total since 1974.
Industry trade group Airlines for America (A4A) said fear of COVID-19 and travel restrictions resulted in a combined $46 billion in pre-tax losses.
From a global perspective, data suggests COVID-19 has reduced passenger traffic on international airlines to levels not seen since 1999, with traffic down 67 percent in the year 2020 compared to 2019.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it would not require travelers boarding domestic flights to present proof of a negative coronavirus test. The agency had previously revealed it was considering all possible actions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“At this time, CDC is not recommending required point of departure testing for domestic travel,” a CDC spokesperson said. “As part of our close monitoring of the pandemic, in particular the continued spread of variants, we will continue to review public health options for containing and mitigating spread of COVID-19 in the travel space.”
