Airports Empty as Travel Bans and Fears Grow, Photos Show

The spread of coronavirus has dramatically altered a number of aspects to day-to-day life. The food service industry has tried to make do by offering meals via delivery or takeout as many areas are in various states of lockdown. Supermarkets and other big-box stores have altered hours to allow more time for cleaning and restocking, as well as windows of time for seniors to shop. Even online retailers, like Amazon, have halted shipment of items deemed non-essential from its warehouses.

Now, as people everywhere are engaged in the practices of both self-quarantining as well as social distancing, people are traveling less. A lot less. Not only are more and more employees getting the option to telecommute as a way to help slow the spread of the virus, they’re also traveling by air in surprisingly low numbers. Whether it’s out of concerns of catching (or spreading) coronavirus or mandated by travel bans, the airports are sitting empty.

It’s quite the sight to see, as a number of Twitter users have been posting their own personal experiences walking through the usually bustling hallways of these international travel hubs. Here are just a few of these photos.

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President Donald Trump first issued a travel ban during a televised address on March 11, just hours after the World Health Organization declared coronavirus to be a global pandemic. 

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“To keep new cases from entering our shores,” Trump said during the address, “we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days.” He added that “there will be exemptions for Americans who have undergone appropriate screenings.”

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On Friday, Trump declared a national emergency over coronavirus concerns, which included some clarifications about what the U.S. travel ban entailed. 

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“To unleash the full power of the federal government in this effort today, I am officially declaring a national emergency,” Trump said during the declaration. “Two very big words. The action I am taking will open up access to $50 billion… for states and territories and localities in our shared fight against this disease.”

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The travel ban has been disruptive for many, including WWE star Paige, who was dealing with a “travel issue” that resulted in her being absent Friday Night SmackDown.

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One likely contributor to the lack of crowds is the fact that a number of major events have either been canceled or postponed out of coronavirus concerns. These include SXSW, Coachella and the Stagecoach Festival.

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Despite the dramatic downturn of travelers, the 2020 Olympics are still planning on being held in Tokyo. Though, as is with everything these days, that’s subject to change.