No Ebola impact seen as Thanksgiving air travel expected to rise 1.5%

What Ebola?

Americans seems ready to move past the recent Ebola scare to travel by air in greater numbers for the Thanksgiving holiday.

During the 12-day period around the Nov. 27 holiday, 24.6 million people will fly on the nation’s airlines, a 1.5% increase over the same period last year, according to a forecast by the trade group Airlines for America.

The busiest air travel day in that period is expected to be Sunday, Nov. 30, with the least busy being Thanksgiving Day.

News that a healthcare worker was diagnosed with Ebola after flying between Dallas and Cleveland last month prompted flight attendants to demand masks, rubber gloves and other equipment to deal with passengers who might be infected with the deadly disease.

But airline carriers and travel agents said they had seen no signs that the scare has prompted passengers to cancel travel plans.

The travel forecast comes at a time of hefty profits for the industry amid growing demand and slumping fuel costs.

During the first nine months of the year, the nine largest U.S. carriers reported net earnings of $6.8 billion, up from $4.5 billion in 2013, according to the trade group.

“An expanding U.S. economy, rising personal incomes, employment growth and lower energy prices are driving growth in demand,” said John Heimlich, the chief economist for the trade group.

Domestic fares around the Thanksgiving holiday are up 17% over last year, to an average of $467, according to Expedia.com, one of the world’s largest travel sites. Christmas airfares are up 2% to an average of $493, the travel site said.

To read more about travel, tourism and the airline industry, follow me on Twitter at @hugomartin.