JetBlue deletes tweet asking ‘where are you flying this winter?’ after backlash

• JetBlue deleted a tweet on Monday that read: “Alright travel Twitter, where are you flying this winter?”
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Americans not travel for Christmas and New Years as COVID-19 cases surge.
• Public health experts warn the winter surge could overwhelm US hospitals and devastate the country.
• Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

JetBlue asked Twitter users where they are flying this winter, during the deadliest COVID-19 surge all year.

JetBlue’s corporate Twitter account posted “Alright travel Twitter, where are you flying this winter?” at noon on Monday. The company added a poll asking if travelers were flying “away from the snow” or “towards the snow.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Americans not travel for Christmas and New Years holiday this winter as COVID-19 cases surge. The US recorded 1 million new COVID-19 cases in the first five days of December, and just surpassed 100,000 active hospitalizations for the disease.

Twitter users quickly called out JetBlue’s tweet on winter travel as “tone deaf,” and urged the company to delete the post. JetBlue did delete the tweet shortly after posting. Business Insider has reached out to JetBlue for additional comment.

—SoCalStuff (@cont4me) December 7, 2020

—KateE 🦋 🖤 (@ReadersRambling) December 7, 2020

—Greg Hoy (@hoyboy) December 7, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic caused a multibillion dollar decline in airline revenue. A trade group that represents most world airlines does not expect the industry to recover before 2024. 

Read more: 6 cargo airlines and freight operators poised to win big as Pfizer and Moderna scramble to get coronavirus vaccine delivery logistics in place

JetBlue will begin to fill airplanes to capacity on January 8, 2021 after blocking off middle seats to encourage physical distancing. The company reported a $578 million lthird-quarter loss in October. American Airlines and United Airlines began furloughing tens of thousands of workers in October, and other airlines say they will cut staff without relief from Congress.

Public health experts warn the winter surge could overwhelm US hospitals and devastate the country. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said the winter surge will be the "worst event" in US history. Researchers at the Bill & Melinda Gates-funded Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation predict US coronavirus deaths could double by April 1.

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