# Eager travellers line up for U.S. flights as COVID travel curbs are lifted
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2021-11-08
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Excitement as US Lifts Travel Restrictions for
Meta Description: Travellers can now reunite with loved ones in the US as travel restrictions are lifted, sparking a surge in bookings and excitement at airports worldwide.
URL: https://financedigest.com/eager-travellers-line-up-for-u-s-flights-as-covid-travel-curbs-are-liftedhtml

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By Tara Oakes and Antony Paone

LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) -Travellers excited at the prospect of reuniting with family and friends headed for the United States on Monday as it lifted travel restrictions slapped on much of the world since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The travel ban https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-braces-surge-vaccinated-international-travelers-2021-11-07, first imposed in early 2020, had barred access to non-U.S. citizens [travelling from 33 countries – including China](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-not-planning-covid-testing-for-travellers-from-china.html "UK not planning COVID testing for travellers from China"), India and much of Europe – and had also restricted overland entry from Mexico and Canada.

The United States lagged many other countries in lifting the curbs, made possible by the rollout of vaccines despite rising infections in many countries, and critical to reviving tourism [around the globe](https://www.financedigest.com/pain-of-breaking-inflation-will-reverberate-around-the-globe.html "Pain of breaking inflation will reverberate around the globe").

Months of pent-up [demand triggered a major](https://www.financedigest.com/lyocell-fibers-market-overview-highlighting-major-drivers-trends-growth-and-demand-report-2019-2027.html "Lyocell Fibers Market Overview Highlighting Major Drivers, Trends, Growth and Demand Report 2019- 2027") spike in bookings on Monday, with travellers only required to show official proof of vaccination and a recent, negative viral test.

“Really, really exciting. I mean, I was meant to go just before COVID happened, and obviously it’s been delayed this long, so it’s really exciting to finally be able to go,” Alice Keane, travelling to Miami to see her sister, said at London’s [Heathrow airport](https://www.financedigest.com/heathrow-airport-says-return-to-pre-pandemic-demand-years-away.html "Heathrow Airport says return to pre-pandemic demand years away").

Long-term rivals British Airways and Virgin Atlantic carried out simultaneous take-offs from Heathrow’s parallel runways just before 0900 GMT, a stunt aimed at [highlighting the importance of the transatlantic market](https://www.financedigest.com/n-butylene-oxide-12-market-expectations-growth-trends-highlighted-until-2028.html "N-Butylene Oxide 1,2 Market Expectations & Growth Trends Highlighted Until 2028") to the UK’s aviation market.

The flights were full, Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss said, while passenger volume was expected to remain high in [coming weeks with the approach of Thanksgiving and Christmas](https://www.financedigest.com/christmas-comes-early-homebuyers-camberwell.html "Christmas Comes Early For Homebuyers In Camberwell").

It’s a major [day of celebration,”](https://www.financedigest.com/tall-marks-its-25th-year-with-celebration-day.html "TALL Marks its 25th Year with Celebration Day ") Weiss said, in what he called a significant tipping point for an industry brought to its knees by the pandemic.

The United States was preparing for long lines and delays on Monday, with United [Airlines alone expecting](https://www.financedigest.com/portuguese-airline-tap-swings-to-profit-earlier-than-expected.html "Portuguese airline TAP swings to profit earlier than expected") about 50% more total international inbound passengers compared to last Monday when it had about 20,000.

Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) Chief Executive Ed Bastian [warned travellers](https://www.financedigest.com/wh-smith-warns-on-2022-profit-due-to-slow-travel-recovery.html "WH Smith warns on 2022 profit due to slow travel recovery") should be prepared for long waits.

“It’s going to be a bit sloppy at first. I can assure you, there will be lines unfortunately,” Bastian said, adding that “we’ll get it sorted out”.

‘WE MIGHT START CRYING’

The prospect of long queues did little to dent the enthusiasm of those preparing to be reunited with loved ones.

“I think we might just start crying,” Bindiya Patel, who was going to see her one-year-old nephew in New York for the first time https://www.reuters.com/world/the-great-reboot/grandmother-grandson-finally-meet-us-flights-reopen-2021-11-05, said at Heathrow, where jugglers dressed in the red, white and blue of the U.S. flag greeted travellers.

Restrictions on non-U.S. citizens were first imposed on air travellers from China in January 2020 by then-President Donald Trump and extended to dozens of other countries, without any clear [metrics for how and when to lift](https://www.financedigest.com/brand-metrics-bolsters-client-services-team-as-brand-lift-measurement-booms.html "Brand Metrics bolsters client services team as brand lift measurement booms") them.

In January, Trump issued an order to lift [travel restrictions on people in Europe](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-travel-europe-on-a-budget.html "How to travel Europe on a budget") and Brazil. But the [order was reversed by President Joe Biden](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-orders-probe-of-latest-ransomware-attack.html "Biden orders probe of latest ransomware attack") before it took effect.

U.S. allies had heavily lobbied the Biden administration, which had repeatedly said it did not endorse so-called “vaccine passports”, to lift the rules.

Airline officials stressed that tourism and family trips alone will not be enough for https://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSKBN2HT0JMcarriers whose profits depend on filling the most expensive seats. \[L1N2RZ0LF\]

Experts [say the real battle](https://www.financedigest.com/swiss-national-bank-says-inflation-battle-not-yet-won.html "Swiss National Bank says inflation battle not yet won") of the transatlantic, the world’s most lucrative travel market, takes place at the front of the plane, in first, business, and premium economy class, where those paying the top prices help drive airline profits.

As for business, we know the [recovery is slower and so it’s a question mark but what we know is that there are a certain number of sectors, especially domestic and medium-haul travel, where recovery is already happening and we hope](https://www.financedigest.com/european-shares-rally-as-china-stimulus-lifts-recovery-hopes.html "European shares rally as China stimulus lifts recovery hopes") to see this same tendency for the United States,” said Air France-KLM commercial co-director, Henri de Peyrelongue.

LAND [BORDER CROSSINGS](https://www.financedigest.com/belgian-motorists-beat-fuel-inflation-with-cross-border-trips-to-france.html "Belgian motorists beat fuel inflation with cross-border trips to France")

U.S. land borders also [reopened to non-essential travel](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-says-exact-date-on-u-s-travel-reopening-still-not-known.html "Britain says exact date on U.S. travel reopening still not known") on Monday.

In Mexico’s Ciudad Juarez, [across from the Texan city](https://www.financedigest.com/russia-strikes-cities-across-ukraine-gas-supplies-in-focus.html "Russia strikes cities across Ukraine, gas supplies in focus") of El Paso, a line of about 20 people formed early on Monday before crossing and embracing family on the other side of the border, a Reuters witness said. One of the people hadn’t seen their relatives in El Paso [since March](https://www.financedigest.com/russian-inflation-accelerates-to-7-61-m-m-in-march-highest-since-1999.html "Russian inflation accelerates to 7.61% m/m in March, highest since 1999") 2020.

“We thought they were going to tell us again that they had decided not to open it,” said Lorena Hernandez, stroking her grown-up daughter’s hair and smiling broadly after they were reunited in El Paso. “I said, if they don’t reopen, I’m going to take a plane.”

Some inoculated Mexicans will not be able to enter the United States immediately if they received vaccines in Mexico that have not been approved by the [World Health Organization](https://www.financedigest.com/explainer-how-the-world-health-organization-might-fight-future-pandemics.html "Explainer-How the World Health Organization might fight future pandemics"), such as China’s CanSino and Russia’s Sputnik V.

Hundreds of [migrants have arrived at Mexican border](https://www.financedigest.com/slipping-over-mexico-border-migrants-get-the-jump-on-u-s-court-ruling.html "Slipping over Mexico border, migrants get the jump on U.S. court ruling") cities such as Tijuana in recent days, hoping the reset will make it easier to cross and seek U.S. asylum, despite warnings from advocates that the re-opening is for people who have papers.

In Canada, long lines formed overnight at U.S. border points for an early rush of travellers but a Canadian requirement that all [returning travellers have a negative PCR test is expected](https://www.financedigest.com/lufthansa-expects-further-significant-improvement-after-return-to-profit.html "Lufthansa expects further ‘significant improvement’ after return to profit") to dampen travel.

Canada, which allowed fully vaccinated Americans to cross the land border in August, is under pressure to drop the negative test requirement from businesses and travellers, who [say showing proof of vaccination should be enough](https://www.financedigest.com/ecb-must-swiftly-normalise-rates-neutral-may-not-be-enough-knot-says.html "ECB must swiftly normalise rates; neutral may not be enough, Knot says").

Under-18s are exempt from the new [vaccine requirements](https://www.financedigest.com/automakers-mandate-masks-at-all-u-s-plants-but-not-requiring-vaccines.html "Automakers mandate masks at all U.S. plants but not requiring vaccines"). Non-tourist travellers from nearly 50 [countries with nationwide vaccination rates](https://www.financedigest.com/ecb-weighs-bigger-rate-hike-with-safety-net-for-indebted-countries.html "ECB weighs bigger rate hike with safety net for indebted countries") of less than 10% are also eligible for exemption.

(Reporting by Tara Oakes, Stuart McDill, Sarah Young, Antony Paone, David Shepardson; Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Gareth Jones and Nick Macfie)


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