Tri-Cities Airport anticipating vaccine increase could result in travel increase later in 2021

The COVID-19 vaccine could be the catalyst in a resurgence in air travel in 2021 not just nationwide but in the Tri-Cities region.

“It looks like probably the second half of the year and possibly even the fourth quarter of this year, they are really expecting (travel) to improve since the vaccine is out and people are already getting their second dose,” said Kristi Haulsee with the Tri-Cities Airport Authority.

Haulsee in an interview Tuesday told Supertalk that the projections are just some of the information she’s learned from presentations with airline industry experts about where the direction the industry itself may head depending on how the vaccination program continues. Haulsee tells us right now Tri-Cities Airport is seeing around 40% of its normal travel traffic in the months of June through December following the holiday season.

The airport is currently down to averaging around nine flights in and out of the facility on a daily basis, but Haulsee has added that more flights and the size of the passenger planes will grow as more people get vaccinated to help the travel industry get back on its feet.

Photo Courtesy: Tri-Cities Airport