The pair rumbled along the runway as though they were participating in an international airshow.
Which is exactly what it was, as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic temporarily put aside their rivalry to mark the first day British travellers could once again fly to the United States – complete with a synchronised take-off of two Airbus A350s bound for New York from Heathrow.
The crew waved the US flags and passengers received jam doughnuts with Stars and Stripes decorations. Anglo-American bunting was also hung in every cabin as the planes took off at 8.30 AM. This gave rise to one the most profitable and busiest aviation corridors around the globe.
Virgin Atlantic crew at London Heathrow Airport T3 in preparation for Virgin Atlantic flight departure VS3
Mark Palmer, Daily Mail’s travel editor. Elysa and Eugenia are British Airways brand ambassadors.
As passengers wait to board their Virgin Atlantic or Delta Air Lines flight at Heathrow Airport Terminal 3, entertainers interact with them
Given that it’s more than 600 days since the US travel ban was introduced by former president Donald Trump, there was not a spare seat to be had on either BA flight 001 – the fight number previously reserved for Concorde – or Virgin’s VS3.
One of those seats on the BA plane was occupied by Sean Doyle, the airline’s chairman and chief executive, who assumed the role of a breezy captain as he took to the tannoy and welcomed passengers, hailing the flight as a ‘real moment of celebration’.
Bindiya (59), and Bhavna (31) of Croydon, South London, were on my flight. Both are looking forward to seeing Kai, the latest member in their family. Kai was born last October.
As passengers wait to board their Virgin Atlantic or Delta Air Lines flight at Heathrow Airport Terminal 3, a performer impersonating Elvis Presley interacts with them
Virgin Atlantic flight VS3 made a synchronized departure from parallel runways with British Airways flight BA001, heading to New York JFK. This was in celebration of the reopening transatlantic travel corridor.
‘I am so excited about seeing my first grandchild that if they had a dance floor on the plane I would be on it right now,’ said Mrs Patel.
‘We wanted to be at the baby shower and then hoped to be at Kai’s first birthday but we couldn’t. We’ve got a placard to wave with Kai’s name on it when we arrive and I dare say my son and his wife will have one with our names, too.’
No-one was pretending that yesterday’s fanfare matched that of October 4, 1958, when two BOAC planes, each carrying around 45 passengers, also took off simultaneously – albeit one from New York, the other from London – in what is regarded as the first commercial transatlantic jet service – but it came close.
‘The importance of this route can not be over-stated,’ Mr Doyle said. ‘And there’s no way we could claim to be “Global Britain” without travel to and from America.
‘I never thought it would take so long for restrictions to be lifted but it’s still a great day for us and our passengers.’
In 2019, 22million people travelled between the US and UK – and transatlantic flights were worth an estimated £8billion a year.
It’s that pot of gold at the end of the runway that has long attracted ambitious new entrants to the relatively short London to New York hop.
Freddie Laker failed to succeed in the 1970s. Norwegian Air abandoned the route last year and Wow Air was bankrupt in 2019.
Louise Erebara, 52, who emigrated to the US from Manchester 34 years ago was waiting with her family (pictured) for one of the first BA flights to land in New York.
After the sisters embraced (above) Jill Chambers, 57, from Darwen, Lancashire, said: ‘I cannot stop crying. No one can. I find it so hard to believe we’re finally here.’
Today, transatlantic flights account for 70 per cent of Virgin Atlantic’s revenue.
BA plans to fly 183 to different US destinations in this week’s schedule, as opposed to 316 in 2019.
For many families, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be back with the return of passenger flights to and fro the USA.
However, there are still many hurdles to be cleared before you can enjoy your celebratory chardonnay glass and begin watching as many films you want.
In addition to making you fill out an ESTA form and proving you’ve been double-jabbed, the US authorities insist on all passengers showing they have tested negative – via either a PCR or lateral flow test – up to 72 hours before arriving in the country.
We are finally reunited: On Monday, relatives hugged at JFK Terminal 7 after their first flight of non-restricted passengers arrived from London Heathrow 20 months ago.
After 20 months of COVID restrictions, families reunite at JFK on Monday morning. All those who came had to be vaccinated, and they also needed to have passed a COVID-19 negative test.
Louise Erebara (52), waits to see her brother and sister-in-law, Darwen, in Manchester. She’s been living in America for over 34 years, but she has not seen her family back home since the outbreak. She will be accompanied by her sister Jill, and her brother-in law Mark for the next three-and-a half weeks. Her young son, who is not yet vaccinated, has prevented her from flying to the UK. DailyMail.com’s She said that she FaceTimes, but not the same.
And those returning to Britain must fill out a dreaded passenger locator form and show they have booked a test on day two – although the cheaper lateral flow is now acceptable.
All of these things were not on our mind when we arrived at JFK. With camera crews creating a tunnel and airport staff offering drinks and large cookies, we were treated like an all-conquering team.
‘Congratulations and how does it feel to be back?’ asked a man from Eyewitness News, who looked like he had just been released from his make-up department.
‘It feels good, thank you,’ I proffered. This is not the greatest of quotations, I admit. I could have told him it’s early days.
It’s certainly not business as usual for transatlantic travel – and won’t be for another 18 to 24 months – but with America finally allowing us into the country, the world seems like a bigger, better and more prosperous place.
“I’M THE HAPPIEST MALE IN AMERICA!” DUTCH BUSINESSMAN WHO PROPOSED MARCH 12 2020 – THE DAY THE BORDERS ARE CLOSED – RETURNS TO SEE HIS FIANCEE & NEXT STEPKIDS
Among those who were the first arrivals at Newark Airport in New Jersey on Monday morning was 45-year-old Dutch entrepreneur Mark Ogertsehnig, who proposed to 40-year-old fiancee Natalia Abrahao on March 12 2020 the day the borders closed, and hasn’t been able to be with her properly ever since.
On Monday, the couple were photographed together at Newark Airport after he had arrived from Amsterdam. The flight was packed with friends, parents, boyfriends and girlfriends as well as fiancees.
Dutch businessman Mark Ogertsehnig picks up Natalia Abrahao, his fiancée after she flew in on her first tourist flight from Amsterdam. Although they were married in March, the couple has not been together for a long time. Natalia, originally from Brazil, had submitted her green card application when the ban was implemented. She couldn’t travel to Europe to see Mark or her family in Brazil.
Mark shared his story with DailyMail.com after he spoke about how he met Natalia 10 year ago, first as a colleague then reunited following the breakup of previous relationships.
Three years after their reconciliation, she had moved to New Jersey from Brazil with her daughters. She was also applying for a greencard. He was still there.
“We had a rekindled contact and decided to go out for a beer, although she lived in New York. Mark stated that they met, and the spark was renewed during a Monday interview.
They committed to long-distance relationships that would see Mark fly over whenever he could.
In March 2020, while on a Miami trip, he proposed. On March 12, he proposed and she accepted. This was also the date that President Trump closed our borders, causing a global meltdown.
Mark was initially stuck in New Jersey and scared of flying to the Netherlands due to COVID. He eventually separated from his family members.
Mark and Natalia, on the evening they got engaged. It was March 12, 2020. Both were visiting Miami. Natalia was in Miami with her daughter and had made a green card request for herself. But when borders were closed she could not leave the country to see Mark.
Mark stuck around because there weren’t any flights to the Netherlands. For five months, he stayed with me. After he couldn’t return, he flew to the Netherlands.
Natalia, 41, stated that they had hoped this would end but were separated for eight months.
After the separation, they were back together until August. She flew in for her 40th Birthday, and quarantined in Mexico for 2 weeks. This was something he claims not every person who has ever been separated could enjoy.
Natalia could not travel to the US in order to see him, as her green card application was still pending. Biden only announced that after 20 long, difficult months the restrictions had been lifted last month.
Mark declared, “Today I am one the happiest Americans, to be with our beautiful fiancee and again have our children,”
Now, the couple will be spending a week together in New Jersey prior to she travels on a business trip. The couple will then travel together to New Jersey for Thanksgiving and return home for Christmas.
She said, “That’s what’s so beautiful about this. Now we can have freedom.”
Mark continued, “Her kids will be seeing my parents in person for the first-time after 2 years. It is crazy.”
He’s excited to visit his Dutch parents and meet their step-grandparents. Natalia could not travel back to Brazil in order to visit her family. She was also unable to go to Europe for Mark’s funeral because of her green card.