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Airlines Cut Back On Perks As Travel Demand Rises; CDC Finds Flu Continues To Surge Ahead Of Big Holiday Gatherings; Heavy Snow, Wind, Rain Expected To Slam Northeast Through Weekend. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired December 16, 2022 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[15:30:00]

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST: Airline travel demand is soaring, but the skies seem to be getting less friendly for passengers.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Air carriers are pulling back on perks like access to airport lounges and redeeming frequent flier miles. CNN aviation correspondent Pete Muntean explains why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Stephanie Ogbogu is a proud frequent flyer, now frequently frustrated by the airlines.

STEPHANIE OGBOGU, FREQUENT FLYER: They wanted us to take advantage of travel, and then we finally do, and it's like, oh, wait, wait, wait. Now, it's too much.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Stephanie is just one of Delta Airlines loyalists, fuming over new rules. Next year, the company is making it harder to get into its more than 50 Sky Club lounges at airports worldwide. Delta cites customers upset over lines outside and crowded seating inside, telling frequent fliers, we have made the difficult decision to implement new policies that we believe will preserve the experience our guests deserve.

SCOTT KEYES, FOUNDER, SCOTT'S CHEAP FLIGHTS: I think this is the sort of a trend.

[15:35:00]

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Scott Keyes of Scott's Cheap Flights says airlines are cutting back on perks now that travel numbers are back near pre-pandemic levels. United Airlines is anticipating end of year holiday travel even bigger than this past Thanksgiving. Next year it will raise the bar on earning frequent flyer status, making it harder to get free upgrades and fees waived.

KEYES: It's going to be much more difficult to get into lounges, much more difficult to renew elite status, and much more difficult to redeem their frequent flyer miles for a free trip. MUNTEAN (voice-over): A Delta flight from LAX to JFK over spring break would typically cost you 25,000 frequent flyer miles for an economy seat. Now, Scott's Cheap Flights says it will cost more than twice that, 52,000 miles.

BILL MCGEE, AMERICAN ECONOMIC LIBERTIES PROJECT: Well, I think, you know, we're at a tipping point.

MUNTEAN (voice-over): Consumer advocate say earning miles has never been easier, thanks to airline credit cards. But now, redeeming miles is getting tougher.

MCGEE: You enter these programs in good faith and you invest in them for years and years, and you find that the goalposts are a lot further away than they were when you started.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Airlines there, they're missing the mark here. I hope that they listen to the consumer and they really think about some of the decisions that they're making at the top level.

MUNTEAN: Travel experts say there are some real winners and losers here. The winners are those with airline credit cards and mega status already. But the losers are those right on the cusp of getting status on an airline. The latest airline to tweak its frequent flyer program, American Airlines starting in March will make it harder to get its gold level status, 40,000 points needed, up from 30,000 points. Making it harder to get free upgrades and free checked bags -- Victor and Bianna.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: Now come on.me on. That has to hurt. Can't they just be a little more lenient there?

BLACKWELL: It's Christmas.

GOLODRYGA: Not the holiday spirit.

BLACKWELL: It's Christmas time, come on.

GOLODRYGA: Exactly. Pete Muntean our thanks to you.

BLACKWELL: 'Tis the season for flu and COVID and RSV. How to best protect yourself. That's next.

[15:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: Let's talk now about what may be the biggest threat to your holiday celebrations, the viruses spreading quickly across the U.S. The CDC just reported flu activity is still high, but some areas are seeing declines. So far this season, the flu has caused 15 million infections, 150,000 hospitalizations, and 9,300 deaths. The flu is part of the triple threat worrying federal health officials. RSV also raging, and COVID may be on the verge of a winter comeback. Right now, 14 percent of the U.S. is in high transmission, an area there for coronavirus, and that's higher than last week.

CNN medical analyst, Dr. Jonathan Reiner is here with us. Doctor, good to see you. Let's start with the question I think most people are wondering. It's Christmas time, it's holiday time, Hanukkah is coming, and people will be getting together for the big family gatherings, the crowded parties, going to airports. Should we be wearing masks again at these places?

DR. JONATHAN REINER, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Oh, yes. Maybe not so much in your holiday party if you are visiting your parents or loved ones. But when you're traveling in densely populated areas, there is so much flu around. There's still really a remarkable amount of COVID and RSV is circulating. And I think you can protect yourself very well by wearing a good mask. The better the mask you wear, the better the protection.

I still think because there's so much COVID in our communities all over the United States, if you are going to visit elderly parents or people who have other health issues that make them vulnerable, it would be polite and smart to test, you know, before you get in the car. Test yourself, and then everyone can take, you know, can have a great time.

BLACKWELL: Yes, just that peace of mind to know that you are going in negative, that you are not spreading it yourself.

Let's talk about the flu now. I just read the numbers. 9,300 deaths, 150,000 hospitalizations. Obviously different strains of the flu every year, so there are different formulations of the flu vaccine. The good news is from the CDC director that this year, it's a really good match.

REINER: Yes. You know, every year it's a little bit of a crap shoot. In the spring, the World Health Organization in conjunction with, you know, over 100 influenza monitoring centers around the world try to guess which strains of influenza A and B will be circulating and ultimately in the United States, the FDA makes the final decision on flu vaccine that'll be given here. And this year is actually a pretty good match.

You know, the problem is that only about 45 percent of this country has taken the vaccine. So, we have a really powerful tool to prevent you from either getting influenza or getting really sick, should you get infected. But, you know, less than half the population. Only about 40 percent of pregnant people have been vaccinated. 45 percent of kids, 40 percent of adults over the age of 18. It's really easy to do.

The flu vaccine is really well tolerated. I hear people every week in my clinic say to me, oh, I don't get that vaccine because it gives me the flu. It doesn't give you the flu. You may have a little local reaction, you know, for a few hours or overnight.

[15:45:00]

It's really easy to do. It's inexpensive, and we can do a lot better in this country. BLACKWELL: So, we've talked about the tripledemic of COVID, flu, RSV.

Bring it up the rear, Strep A that we're hearing from medical professionals that it's returned now to pre-pandemic levels. Hospitals are filling up. What should people be looking for to determine if that's what they have out of now these four issues that people are facing this season?

REINER: So, the problem is that the, you know, three respiratory viruses all have somewhat similar presentations. Now Strep A can also present with a really severe sore throat, and although, again, any of these infections, particularly COVID can present with a sore throat. If you are COVID negative, and you're influenza negative -- because we can test for that as well -- ask your doctor for a Strep test.

BLACKWELL: All right. Dr. Jonathan Reiner, advising masks, maybe not when you are with the family, but everything before that, maybe mask up. Thank you, doctor.

REINER: I know. Mask up. Take care of yourself. Thank you.

BLACKWELL: You too, thank you.

GOLODRYGA: Really sound advice there.

Well, many parts of the northeast are bracing for a major winter storm that may bring up to 2 feet of snow. We're tracking the severe weather for you up next.

[15:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: Millions of residents from Pennsylvania to new England are being warned to stay inside and off the roads ahead of this weekend's expected nor'easter.

BLACKWELL: Heavy snow, rain, wind, they're expected to bombard the Northeast and that puts many areas under winter storm alerts. CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray is here now. Jen, how much snow are we talking?

JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST AMS: Well, some areas in the higher elevations and interior sections of New England could be up to two feet of snow. Of course, this is going to miss all of the big cities along the I-95 corridor. All the snow is going to be in the interior sections of the Northeast and New England. In fact, the rain is wrapping up for New York right now. Still raining heavily in Boston. We do have winds of 25 to 35 miles per hour. But the heaviest snow of course, in upstate New York and then of course in interior sections of New England. That's where we have the winter storm warnings in place. We also have winter weather advisories as well.

So, we'll time this out. Here's the forecast radar. You can see the rain ending in New York and in just a couple of hours and we do have some snowfall left over by early tomorrow morning and then that snow should be pushing out by tomorrow evening. And we'll finally say good bye to this system that has just impacted much of the country. Snow forecast, we're looking at 18 to 24 inches across some of the higher elevations here and interior of new England. So, quite a bit of snow there.

High temperatures are also going to start to fall in the coming days as we look forward into next week. We have a very, very cold air mass that's going to sweep down across the plains and enter into the country. And that's going to bring temperatures way down. Look at Minneapolis topping out at only, what, a degree below zero by the time we get into the middle part of next week -- guys. We could have some serious cold next week.

GOLODRYGA: It has been a brutal week of weather --

GRAY: It has.

GOLODRYGA: -- for much of the country. Good riddance to that storm finally going away on the East Coast. Jennifer Gray, thank you.

BLACKWELL: American college student who was missing in France has been found alive and now there are so many questions about why he ended up in Spain.

[15:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: Well, it is the season of giving and we want to show you how you can help our 2022 top ten "CNN Heroes" continue their work. You can add your donations matched, dollar for dollar. Here's Anderson Cooper.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Anderson Cooper. Each of this year's top ten "CNN Heroes" proves that one person really can make a difference. And again, this year we're making it easy for you to support their great work.

Just go to CNNheroes.com and click donate under any 2022 top 10 CNN heroes to make a direct donation to that hero's fundraiser. You'll receive an email confirming your donation which is tax deductible in the United States.

No matter the amount, you can make a big difference in helping our heroes continue their life changing work.

And right now, through January 3rd your donations will be matched dollar for dollar up to a total of $50,000 for each of this year's honorees. CNN is proud to offer you this simple way to support each cause and celebrate all of these everyday people who are changing the world. You can donate from the laptop, your tablet or your phone. Just go to CNNheroes.com. Your donation in any amount well help them help others. Thanks.

(END VIDEOTAPE) GOLODRYGA: Such a great cause. Every single one of these people are

just so inspiring. And if you know someone great who deserves to be a CNN hero, tell us about them. Nominations for 2023 are now open. So go to CNNheroes.com to nominate.

All right let's go to Germany now. A massive hotel aquarium holding 1,500 tropical fish and a quarter million gallons of water burst. Floods of water and debris and fish went all over the hotel lobby onto the street. Most of the fish did not survive. Two people were injured.

GOLODRYGA: That's a big cleanup endeavor there. Before it broke it was billed as the world's largest free standing cylindrical aquarium and it was the center piece of a popular Berlin hotel. At this point it is unclear what caused the aquarium to burst. But it is being investigated. Boy, it's sad to hear that all of those fish died.

[16:00:00]

But, Victor, our producer Lauren and I were just talking about reminds us of that scene from "Sing" where a theater gets flooded. I'm sure that's your movie, you seen it many times.

BLACKWELL: Which movie?

GOLODRYGA: "Sing," it's a wonderful movie you can watch with or without your kids.

BLACKWELL: OK, I have no kids. Is it animated?

GOLODRYGA: It is animated. But it's good.

BLACKWELL: I'm out.

GOLODRYGA: It's so good.

BLACKWELL: All right. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.