European airlines and airports welcome the White House’s decision to allow vaccinated foreigners to enter the US. This puts an end to the travel ban that started in March 2020.
White House COVID Response Coordinator Jeff Zients announced the good news that the US will allow foreign travelers by November. Zients said that passengers will need to be fully vaccinated, plus they will also need to show a negative COVID19 taken three days before traveling. Plus, they will have to provide contact information for contact tracing. Zients said that “This new international travel system follows the science to keep Americans’ international air travel safe”.
European Airlines’ Shares
Following the announcement on Monday, shares of British Airways parent IAG SA, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, and Air France-KLM surged. Air France KLM CEO Ben Smith calls the move a “fantastic news for our group”. He also added that “We expect a return of 2019 traffic numbers to move forward very quickly”.
British Airways CEO Sean Doyle said that the announcement is a “historic moment”. Doyle added that this can allow travelers to confidently book their flights. London Heathrow Airport officials, on the other hand, announced that the US easing travel restrictions can give a boost to the economy.
Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd saw a 91% jump in US bookings just an hour after the announcement. Its CEO Shai Weiss stressed the carrier’s reliance on American flights.
Return of Transatlantic Flights
In the past year, carriers from both the US and Europe have lobbied for the White House to relax travel restrictions. Pressure started to mount against the US especially after the vaccine rollout.
European airline lobby group, Airlines for Europe thinks that the reopening was timely. This is a perfect time for friends and family to reunite by December during the yuletide season. Its spokesperson said that “With more than 70% of adults fully vaccinated in Europe, we’re happy to see the evidence-based policy-making we’ve been asking for finally coming to fruition”.
