Experience 036. Epidemic Unplugged. What's happening and what does the future hold? The Seat 1A Podcast.

In this special edition we look at the current status of aviation and travel. Our travel habits that we grew so accustomed to have either entered a state of hibernation or a world of surrealness. We look to when we last flew in 2020 and Vinod shares nostalgia of seeing 747s and L-1011s out the airport window and boarding from the tarmac. Pandemic restrictions have seen new flight routings that did not exist before, and regrettably we have seen airlines struggle and go under but not at this scope. Vinod shares a story of how airline bankruptcy affected earlier job prospects just after university. To everyone in the industry, we wish you nothing but the best through all of this. The effects are felt across all sorts of industries – including rental cars. Airlines will take a number of years to return – Vinod shares the story when Singapore left Vancouver. Geoff shares his 2019 experiences of airport expansions that may not be filled for years – this has been repeated through history. Vinod comments on recent cancelled capital projects at Vancouver – what's next? If and when the airlines return, their fleets will look different as many planes are being retired. And with those retiring planes, many staff have more than just a job loss – it's a lifestyle change. We at Seat 1A will evolve as well given the current situation and the unknown future. What new innovations are going to come from this current situation? What will happen as travellers discover their own countries again? If you are travelling enjoy the shorter lines, and cleaner aircraft while the industry comes back. This epidemic will lead to changes in travel policies including with credit cards and insurance. How can you best play the game during periods of uncertainty? We're going to try to stay on top of the changes for you. Other means of travel have seen a renaissance – including night trains in Europe and subscription travel. Meanwhile, we'll see how the travel guidebook evolves after all of this. Will travellers want a more experiential travel experience in the future? Do destinations get a chance to breathe and reset? We're looking forward to interesting content in the future. If you have a story about your travel experiences during the pandemic, your thoughts about where you think travel is going to evolve, a question, or other experience that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/