More Americans are flying. Fort Worth-based American Airlines says it plans to fly 55% of its domestic schedule in July -- way up from May. But it's not exactly a return to 'normal.'
Aviation expert Jay Ratliff says the TSA is now screening 600,000 passengers each day.
"But when you compare that 600,000 to what is a normal summer travel day of nearly three million people per day it's obvious we have a long way to go."
Ratliff says many corporate fliers are gone for good, because the pandemic taught companies to conduct meetings online rather than in person.
"They found, hey, that works and it's a whole heckuva lot cheaper than flying our team all over the country."
Triple-A estimates air travel will be down more than 70% this summer. Ratliff says that's bad news for the world economy.
"Hotels, restaurants, car rentals -- all of these businesses are connected; when you look at all the workers in the world, one out of every ten jobs is somehow connected to the travel industry."
Ratliff says airlines may never return to 'normal' because of less corporate fliers and those who won't be comfortable getting in confined spaces with lots of people they don't know.