Airport improvements, easier access to certain destinations, making aviation less destructive ecologically -- and a railroad revolution. OK, the way we travel isn't exactly the burning question that will decide the US election, but a second term of Donald Trump's presidency or the first term of a Joe Biden administration might have radical differences in the industry's development -- not just in the US, but globally, too. Trump, famously, is the only President to have owned an airline -- Trump Shuttle. Meanwhile, Biden has been a rail commuter for decades, and his much-noted bid to make the US go greener could have implications for the aviation industry. Neither has focused on transportation during their campaign. In the middle of a pandemic, there are bigger things on which to concentrate. But with the travel industry decimated by Covid-19, the presidential response could determine whether the industry revives or is crushed beyond repair. And that goes beyond vacations. "One of the most important things about the travel industry is its huge impact on the economy," says Tori Emerson Barnes, executive VP of public affairs and policy for the US Travel Association. "It's not quite as tangible as manufacturing, but any new or renewed administration needs to prioritize it, as it's the hardest-hit industry. The travel industry has suffered almost 40% of job losses nationwide. Nearly four million travel jobs have been lost in the US since the pandemic, and if we don't get a relief package by the end of December, we'll lose another million. We need action quickly." So what are the two candidates offering, and how do industry figures believe each could change travel in the US? Story has details.<br/>
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A sharp fall in passenger flights due to the coronavirus pandemic combined with rising e-commerce demand is setting the stage for tight capacity and a renewed rise in air freight rates heading into the peak Christmas season. Dedicated air freighters are flying more hours of the day than usual to help make up for the decline in passenger belly space and some airlines are running “ghost flights” without passengers due to attractive cargo rates, but capacity and demand remain mismatched, according to industry experts. “There is a 20% gap on the capacity front,” said Marco Bloemen, cargo advisory lead at Accenture’s Seabury Consulting, comparing capacity to last year. “Flights are very full on most freight lanes.” The limited capacity and higher rates mean more expensive technology and fashion items would receive higher priority for air shipment than lower value items, he said. Deutsche Post AG’s DHL Express last week said it expected unprecedented online shopping and shipping volumes during the peak season, with shipment quantities 50% above last year. With demand especially high on trans-Pacific routes, major Asian airlines are also benefiting from strong cargo demand, though it is not enough to offset lost passenger revenue. Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd said last month it was already operating at peak season levels, having stepped up services on trans-Pacific routes and added cargo-only passenger flights to meet strong demand. The rising demand has led to a renewed climb in air freight rates, which peaked in April and May at a time when passenger capacity bottomed and there was unprecedented demand for masks and other protective gear.<br/>
Britain's airports and airlines need urgent support to survive the "very bleak future" posed by a new lockdown in England, warned the boss of one of the country's biggest airport groups. Very low levels of travel in recent months have put airlines and airports under renewed financial strain after they were effectively shut during Britain's first lockdown, and they now face another month without income during its second. "An urgent package of support must materialise," said Manchester Airport Group's (MAG) CE Charlie Cornish Monday. He said the new lockdown for England, due to start on Thursday and which bans international leisure travel, will make parts of the aviation sector unsustainable. Before the pandemic, Britain had a thriving aviation sector. Air transport and related supply chain activity plus tourist arrivals supported 1.6m jobs and accounted for 4.5% of UK GDP according to an IATA study. But more than 20,000 jobs have now been lost at UK airlines, and Heathrow, once the busiest airport in Europe, has lost its crown to Paris. Industry executives blame the UK government's 14-day quarantine rules, and the comparatively slow adoption of allowing testing to replace the need for isolation, for exacerbating the pain.<br/>
Auckland Airport has confirmed plans for a second major maintenance project on its runway, again taking advantage of the reduction in the number of flights brought about by Covid-19. The company's general manager infrastructure, Andre Lovatt, said the new project would involve the replacement of 81 slabs at the western end of the runway, meaning the runway will be shortened for a second time. In the earlier 12-week runway project, which was successfully completed in August, 280 slabs were replaced at the eastern end. "The first slab-replacement programme was a great success, and we're continuing to get ahead of planned maintenance by bringing forward other important work on our runway," he said. "Our organisation has been significantly affected by Covid-19, but the downturn in aviation traffic has also created opportunities for us to carry out runway works with minimal disruption to airlines, to ensure the ongoing safety and efficiency of our airfield," said Lovatt. The runway will be shortened by 990m at the western end for the duration of the works, known as a "displaced threshold". This allows runway works to be carried out safely while the runway remains open. About 14,000 flights are expected to use the shortened runway during the eight-week programme of works, around half the number from the same period last year. A 150-strong construction team would be working on the project, which starts on November 5 and is scheduled for completion at the end of the year.<br/>