IATA Boss: US Should 'Move Quickly' to Allow in Vaccinated Travellers

Geneva — Air travel between the US and Europe is still restricted despite high vaccination rates in both countries, much to the dismay of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The US decided this week not to lift coronavirus entry restrictions for travellers from Europe and other countries, due to the spread of the highly-contagious Delta variant of the virus, a White House spokesperson said.

According to IATA chief Willi Walsh, the infection risk on international travel is very low. Therefore, “people who are fully vaccinated should not be restricted,” he said in Geneva on Wednesday.

“I would encourage the US government to move quickly to re-establish international links with their country particularly with Europe,” Walsh said.

The EU in principle already lifted restrictions for incoming travellers from the US in June, although individual member states can set their own rules.

Overall, flight traffic across the North Atlantic was still 73 per cent below 2019 levels in June, according to IATA chief economist Ezgi Gulbas.

The international passenger market is particularly important for airlines.

For US carriers, Europe is the most important market, accounting for 30 per cent of revenue, while for European airlines, the US market accounts for nearly 15 per cent of revenue, she said.

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