Transatlantic travel opens today, as the US ban placed on British tourists has been lifted.
In a major boost to the tourism sector, thousands are flying off to long-awaited family reunions and other special occasions.
To celebrate the repeal of the travel ban, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways will offer synchronized departures from Heathrow at 8.30am to New York JFK. Due to the pandemic, Donald Trump, then president, banned US visitors from the UK, Ireland and China in March 2017.
Transatlantic travel is now open again after the US ban against British tourists was lifted today. Pictured: New York City residents wait in line for flights on January 25, 2018.
From today, fully vaccinated travelers from these locations can enter America.
The Foreign Office estimates that around 3.8million Britons visited America each year in the years before the pandemic. In September, President Joe Biden declared that America would open its borders for the month of October.
Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary, said that it was an ‘important moment’ because transatlantic travel is ‘long been at heart of UK aviation. The proof must be provided by air travelers that the traveller has either had a negative blood test within the last three days or they have fully recovered from the disease in the past three months.
Donald Trump, then-president (pictured), banned US visitors from the UK, Ireland and China in March 2017. This was due to the pandemic.
The lifting of the travel ban is vital for the UK’s long-haul airlines, airports and travel firms, which have been hit hard by the virus crisis.
In order to respond to the increasing demand for travel, many airlines have increased their UK-US flight schedules.
Cirium estimates that there will be 3,688 flights this month between the two countries.
Although it is now up 2 percentage points compared to October, this number remains at 49 percent below the levels in November 2019, which was pre-pandemic.
In September, President Joe Biden (pictured), announced that America would open its borders for the month of October
Abta conducted a survey of 2000 UK tourists to find out if America is second among foreign countries that they intend to visit.
Sean Doyle, Chief Executive of British Airways said that opening the US border was an opportunity to rejoice after more than 600 days separation.
He said that transatlantic connectivity was vital for Britain’s economic recovery. This is why we have long called for the safe reopening US-UK travel corridor.
“We should now be optimistic, restore trade and touristic growth and reconnect families and friends.”
Shai Weiss (his counterpart at Virgin Atlantic) said that the US had been our home for over 37 years, and it is impossible to be Virgin without the Atlantic.
“We are steadily expanding our flights to New York, Boston, Orlando, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Francisco. And we cannot wait to take our customers back to their favorite US cities, to reunite with family and friends.
In June, a taskforce US-UK was established with the aim of opening travel.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary of UK Aviation (pictured), described it as a “significant moment” because transatlantic travel had ‘long been at its heart.