As air travel became safer and more affordable,
the passenger numbers grew nearly every year.
There was no commercial air travel in the U.S.
for several days after the terror attacks on Sept.
11, 2001, and people were slow to get back on
planes in following months.
It could be longer this time. Polling firm Public
Opinion Strategies said that fewer than half the
Americans it surveyed about 10 days ago say
they will get on a plane within six months of the
spread of the virus flattening.