The median American took zero flights last year

A nationwide ground stop dominated the news, which prompted a useful reminder: the median American took no flights at all last year. That is a commentator's claim, not our own calculation. The shutdown was, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the longest nationwide flight shutdown since 9/11, and it was traced to a contractor swapping a copper telecom line for fiber. Air travel looms large in news coverage, but most people never board a plane in a given year. A frequent-flying minority makes the problem feel universal.