1 big thing: Airports are pretty good now

Illustration of an airplane staircase with a red carpet.

2. TikTok's fate lies in the courts

Illustration of the US Capitol dome piercing a smart phone. The Capitol has pink and blue strokes in the colors and style of TikTok's logo.

3. Afrofuturism exhibit opens in D.C.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture's Afrofuturism exhibit.

Some of your least favorite airports are — surprise! — looking pretty good these days, Alex reports today.

Our newsletter will be shorter than usual for the next few days as we head into the second annual What's Next Summit.

Learn more about the event — and find out how to watch live — right here. We hope you enjoy it!

Today's newsletter is 960 words ... 3½ minutes.

Big thanks to What's Next copy editor Amy Stern.

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Whats Next

deepBlue

The next decade of big, sweeping changes will unfold in cities and communities where new technologies like 5G, AI and drones are transforming how we work, live and play together.  What’s Next will guide you through the revolution.

Axios What's Next

1 big thing: December's air travel meltdown, visualized

2.  "Crowdfunding" human composting

Illustration of a skull surrounded by a recycling symbol

3. Microsoft rolls out Bing AI image creator

Results from Bing’s AI image creator with the prompts “A magical world where everyone gets along” (L) and “The present world where everyone gets along” (R).

4. 📉 Remote work hits office rents

5. Taste-testing Starbucks' olive oil coffee

Starbucks Oleato line of beverages. Photo: Courtesy of Starbucks

It's no secret that last December was an air travel nightmare. Now, new data shows the extent of the meltdown, Alex reports today.

🏛️ Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy director Arati Prabhakar have joined the speaker lineup for Axios' second annual What’s Next Summit on Wednesday, March 29, in Washington, D.C. Watch live here.

Today's newsletter is 989 words ... 4 minutes.

1 big thing: Bridging the parent-TikTok divide

Illustrated collage of TikTok’s logo and a hand holding a phone.

2. AI is changing the software-making game

Illustration of binary code on a conveyor belt

3. EV subsidy clarity is upon us

Illustration of a hundred dollar bill stylized as an electric symbol.

Jennifer has a fascinating look today at a research lab that's become front and center in the debate over kids' social media use.

📣 Axios' second annual What's Next Summit is happening all day tomorrow, March 29, starting at 8:10 a.m. ET! 

Check out our day-of agenda featuring interviews with music producer Timbaland, head of YouTube Neal Mohan, Vimeo CEO Anjali Sud and more. Register to livestream the event here.

Today's newsletter is 1,077 words ... 4 minutes.

1 big thing: Better 3D-printed food

Illustration of a piece of cooked steak with a cursor on a computer dialogue box selecting "print"  

2. Air taxis are coming to Chicago

A rendering of Archer Aviation's "Midnight" eVTOL aircraft.

3. Gas cars are paying for their own funeral

Illustration of an electric vehicle plugged in, the charging wire has dollar bill signs running inside of it towards the car. 

4. Houston sticks with street dining

Finn Hall's outdoor dining includes greenery. Photo: Jay R. Jordan/Axios

5. One fun thing: Dunkin' tacos

Breakfast tacos are now available at Dunkin' restaurants nationwide. 

Researchers are figuring out how to improve 3D-printed food, Ayurella Horn-Muller reports today, with hopes of using it to address global food insecurity. 

Today's newsletter is 1,137 words ... 4½ minutes.

1 big thing: 🤖 Will a robot take your job? Will AI?

Illustration of a person's arm wearing work gloves and reaching into industrial machinery, with an overlaid grid and glowing boxes framing their hand and elbow

2. 👷‍♂️ Meet the new warehouse workers

Photo illustration of a humanoid robot with squares highlighting areas of the photograph.

3. 🚜 Robots go off-road

Illustration of construction excavators with glowing geometric shapes.

4. 🚗 How autonomous vehicles "see"

5. 🌊 Drones head 🎵 under the sea 🎵

Photo illustration of a worker on an offshore oil rig with circles and squares highlighting areas of the photograph.

Robots and autonomous vehicles are revolutionizing all sorts of industries, Jennifer and Joann report today — but they're also causing plenty of consternation about humans' role in the workplaces of the future.

🚀 Tune in today: Axios' second annual What's Next Summit is happening all day starting at 8:10 a.m. ET! Check out our day-of agenda, and livestream the event here.

Today's newsletter is 1,445 words ... 5½ minutes.

Nashville

Axios Nashville

Reproduced from Eviction Lab; Chart: Axios Visuals

Eviction filings in Nashville are exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to data from the Eviction Lab.

That's a Princeton University project aiming to fill an "information hole in the center of the evictions crisis" by collecting data from court filings and other sources, research specialist Jacob Haas tells Axios.

Driving the news: Sweeping local and national eviction moratoriums helped keep many families in their homes through the heart of the pandemic. With those moratoriums long since over, many Americans are once again exposed to the threat of displacement.

Of note: The Eviction Lab said its data doesn't capture illegal evictions or cases where renters are effectively forced out by large rent hikes, and it may be undercounting recent evictions due to processing delays.

What's happening: Nashville averaged 279 eviction filings per week over the four weeks prior to Feb. 4, per the Eviction Lab.

Average weekly eviction filings hovered around 115 during the moratorium period.

State of play: Local housing advocates say numbers could continue to rise. The state stopped taking applications for pandemic rent relief funding earlier this year.

Zoom in: Some local efforts have emerged to help people facing eviction. Last year, the Metro Council put $2.6 million toward Eviction Right to Counsel, a pilot program that pairs people with legal assistance and helps them navigate the court system.

The pilot is a joint effort among the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Conexión Américas, and the Nashville Hispanic Bar Association.

Julie Yriart, the legal director at the Hispanic Bar Association, works on the program. She tells Axios the pandemic opened doors to different ways of helping people, but more is needed to make a substantial dent.

Right now, the program has limited staffing and can only reach a fraction of the people who need help.

"Our hope is that Nashville will see the benefit of this program — both for tenants and landlords," Yriart says.

The big picture: Elizabeth Leiserson, the project director at the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, tells Axios the rising cost of housing in Nashville underscores the urgency of their work.

"It's made it increasingly important to help people stay in whatever housing they have found."

Go deeper: Last month, WPLN dedicated an episode of their daily show "This is Nashville" to explaining evictions and exploring resources for tenants.

Nashville evictions exceed pre-pandemic average

Many are once again exposed to the threat of displacement.

Real estate

Eviction filings in Nashville are exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to data from the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Eviction Lab" data-vars-click-url="https://evictionlab.org/" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://evictionlab.org/" target="_blank">Eviction Lab</a>.<ul><li>That&#x27;s a Princeton University project aiming to fill an &quot;information hole in the center of the evictions crisis&quot; by collecting data from court filings and other sources, research specialist Jacob Haas tells Axios.</li></ul>

News

Seattle

Axios Seattle

Data: Bureau of Transportation Statistics; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport had one of the worst rates of on-time flights in the country in December, even as other airports were more deeply affected by Southwest Airlines' epic meltdown.

By the numbers: Only 61.7% of domestic flights departed Sea-Tac on time in December 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Nationally, 69.1% of December's flights departed on time.

The big picture: Throughout most of last year, Sea-Tac outperformed the national average when it came to its percentage of on-time flights.

But a severe ice storm during the peak of holiday travel in December caused Sea-Tac's on-time performance to tank for the month.

Sea-Tac officials told Axios earlier this year that Southwest Airlines' systemwide delays were less of a factor than the ice, since Sea-Tac isn't a big Southwest hub.

Zoom in: At Sea-Tac in December, Southwest's on-time rate roughly matched the average on-time rates across all airlines.

By comparison, at other airports, Southwest's performance was far worse.

The bottom line: Between the bad weather and Southwest's operational challenges, flying in December was truly just as bad as it seemed, the data shows.

Sea-Tac's December performance was among nation's worst

A severe ice storm tanked Sea-Tac's rate of on-time flights for the month.

Airports

A chart showing Sea-Tac's on time performance throughout 2022, with SeaTac dipping below the national on-time rate in December 2022.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport had one of the worst rates of on-time flights in the country in December, even as other airports were more deeply affected by Southwest Airlines&#x27; <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="epic meltdown" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/01/06/southwest-travelers-rights-refunds-delays" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/01/06/southwest-travelers-rights-refunds-delays" target="_self">epic meltdown</a>.By the numbers: Only 61.7% of domestic flights departed Sea-Tac on time in December 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation&#x27;s Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Business

San Antonio

San Antonio International Airport's flight delays in December were just as bad and unusual as they seemed, according to recently released U.S. Department of Transportation data.

By the numbers: Just 71.7% of domestic flights departed San Antonio on time in December 2022, per data from the department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

That's down from 82.8% in November 2022, an 11.1 percentage point drop.

The big picture: Nationally, just 69.1% of December's flights departed on time, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.

That figure is generally between 75% and 80% in a typical month, albeit with predictable dips in the busy — and often meteorologically challenging — summer and winter travel seasons.

Between the lines: The story in December was, of course, Southwest Airlines' epic meltdown.

61.2% of Southwest flights departed San Antonio International on time in December.

Just 57.3% of Southwest's December flights departed on time nationally, compared with 77.2% for Delta Air Lines, 72.5% for American Airlines and 70.7% for United Airlines.

Southwest's struggles dragged down the average for all carriers reporting data to BTS.

Yes, but: All indications so far suggest Southwest has recovered nicely since December, though the BTS's data reports lag by about three months.

How much Southwest delays hit San Antonio airport

Flight delays in December were just as bad as they seemed.

Southwest Airlines

A chart showing the share of flights departing on time from SAT and all U.S. airports in December 2022, when Southwest Airlines delays hit hard.

San Antonio International Airport&#x27;s flight delays in December were just as bad and unusual as they seemed, according to recently released U.S. Department of Transportation data.By the numbers: Just 71.7% of domestic flights departed San Antonio on time in December 2022, per data from the department&#x27;s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

National

United Airlines is investing $15 million in a carbon capture startup developing technology that may eventually be used to capture and compress CO2 for use in creating sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the company announced Wednesday.

The startup, Svante, plans to use the funds to manufacture carbon capture filters in Vancouver, Canada at commercial scale.

How it works: Svante's filters are designed to capture carbon from industrial sites or the atmosphere. It's then compressed for potential use in SAFs, or to be sequestered underground.

Catch up quick: It's the latest investment from United's Sustainable Flight Fund, a multimillion dollar, cross-industry effort to support SAF startups and R&D efforts.

What they're saying: "Instead of just buying SAF, we're taking the money to invest in companies that are building the industry," United CEO Scott Kirby told Joann Muller at Wednesday's What's Next Summit.

"We're giving them the startup capital to go develop the technology and to do the R&D and see what works and what can scale to commercial size and grow the industry."

The big picture: Airlines, aircraft manufacturers and so on are under tremendous pressure to decarbonize.

United, for example, aims to go emissions-free by 2050 — without using carbon offsets.

SAFs, currently made from used cooking oil and industrial waste, are seen as a short- to medium-term way to reduce aviation emissions.

Yes, but: SAF production needs to increase significantly and quickly in order to have anything more than a negligible impact.

What's next: Efforts to power aircraft with electric power or hydrogen are underway — but still in their early days and facing plenty of headwind.

Today's battery technology can't support long-haul flying, Kirby said, while hydrogen requires significantly more volume to provide the same amount of energy as today's jet fuel — hence the company's focus on SAFs.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that United is investing $15 million in Svante, not $5 million as the company first announced.

United invests $15M in carbon capture sustainable fuel effort

United Airlines is investing $5 million in a carbon capture startup seeking to turn captured CO2 into sustainable aviation fuel.

United CEO Scott Kirby (L) speaks with Axios' Joann Muller (R) at the What's Next Summit.

United CEO Scott Kirby (L) speaks with Axios' Joann Muller (R) at the What's Next Summit. Photo: Ron Flores for Axios

Aviation

United Airlines is investing $15 million in a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="carbon capture" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/02/23/carbon-removal-industry-grows" data-vars-content-id="e247e6c9-b8f1-42d9-8cdc-d1a055555371" data-vars-headline="United invests $15M in carbon capture sustainable fuel effort" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/02/23/carbon-removal-industry-grows" target="_self">carbon capture</a> startup developing technology that may eventually be used to capture and compress CO2 for use in creating sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the company announced Wednesday.<ul><li>The startup, Svante, plans to use the funds to manufacture carbon capture filters in Vancouver, Canada at commercial scale.</li></ul>

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

As travelers take to the skies this spring and summer, many are in for a delightful surprise: Several of the country's airports have made big improvements in recent months, including some whose very names had long been met with something between weariness and outright dread.

Why it matters: Airports are gateways to their city, where travelers make their first impression upon arrival.

More importantly, the latest improvements aren't just about aesthetics — they're also about accessibility and accommodations for travelers with different needs.

Driving the news: The most notable recent airport glow-up? New York's LaGuardia, of course.

LaGuardia's renovated Terminals B and C are now home to faster baggage screening machines, a massive and bright Delta Sky Club, and an eye-catching new water feature, among other upgrades that have taken the airport from worst to first. (In fact, Terminal B was just named the world's best new airport terminal in closely watched industry awards.)

Orlando International Airport's new Terminal C is replete with a robotic bag storage system, biometric boarding tech and USB ports at every seat.

Kansas City International Airport, meanwhile, just opened an airy new terminal with art installations by various artists including Nick Cave and George Rodriguez, an outdoor fountain space and blazing fast Wi-Fi.

And Detroit Metropolitan Airport has added a massive futuristic departure board that uses facial recognition tech to show travelers customized info about their flight.

Between the lines: These and other airports have also been busy installing modern amenities that, while less flashy, will no doubt be appreciated by those who find themselves in need.

Lactation rooms and pods are now almost as common an airport feature as Hudson News and Starbucks — many made by a startup called Mamava. All-gender bathrooms are starting to pop up too.

Newark Liberty International Airport, also newly upgraded, now boasts a sizable kids' play area where little ones can stretch their legs and burn off some energy before a long flight.

Kansas City's new "Air Travel Experience Simulation" is particularly impressive — it's a cross-section of a real airliner where first-time, nervous or neurodivergent passengers can get a sense of what'll happen on their real flight before they board.

Yes, but: Many of the country's other airports remain long overdue for  sweeping renovations and upgrades of their own.

Plus, all the USB ports in the world won't make much difference if you're stuck at the airport for hours amid the next systemwide meltdown, or if there's significant overcrowding.

Reality check: While some airports are getting big, expensive improvements, many small regional airfields are losing service, cutting off their surrounding communities from the air travel network.

Plus, U.S. airports overall leave a lot to be desired compared to their global peers — not a single American airfield cracked Skytrax's 2023 ranking of the world's top 10 airports overall. (LaGuardia got the nod specifically for "best new terminal.")

What's next: The Biden administration is funneling billions into further airport upgrades nationwide, with projects ranging from new terminals and security areas to baggage system overhauls and greener heating systems.

Part of that money is going to behind-the-scenes upgrades — some airports are getting control tower upgrades, for instance.

The bottom line: Even people who usually hate the airport might find something to like the next time they fly.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that LaGuardia’s new Delta Sky Club is in Terminal C, not B.

America's airports are suddenly pretty good now

Several of the country's airports have made big improvements over the past few months.

Alex Fitzpatrick

Stories

United invests $15M in carbon capture sustainable fuel effort

How much Southwest delays hit San Antonio airport

Sea-Tac's December performance was among nation's worst

America's airports are suddenly pretty good now

Nashville evictions exceed pre-pandemic average

Newsletter editions

🤖 The robots are coming

📲 Parents v. TikTok

✈️ Airport glow-ups

🍔 3D-printed food

🛫 Air delay data