Airlines Are Gearing Up For a Surge in Transatlantic Travel

Bill Abbott   / WikiMedia

Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying transatlantically over water on the approach to land. Bill Abbott / WikiMedia

Skift Take: As countries in Europe prepare to open their borders to vaccinated Americans this summer, airlines are seeing a spike in demand for travel. But the industry’s focus needs to be on having sufficient manpower to verify proof of vaccinations prior to boarding.

— Ruthy Muñoz

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United CEO Says Vaccinated Flyers Essential For Long-Haul Travel Rebound

Markus Eigenheer/FlugZüge  / Flickr

United’s CEO expects travelers will need a vaccine for long-haul international travel. Markus Eigenheer/FlugZüge / Flickr

Skift Take: People jokingly throw around the phrase “have vaccine, will travel” as Covid-19 inoculations roll out. But the phrase appears poised to take on some gravity with the CEO of United Airlines saying vaccines are a likely to a prerequisite as long-haul travel comes back.

— Edward Russell

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Why Tourism Needs to Step Up and Push for Vaccine Equity

Jorge Franganillo  / Flickr Commons

The travel industry must play a role in addressing lagging vaccinations around the world. Jorge Franganillo / Flickr Commons

Skift Take: No vaccine access for all? No tourism recovery. It’s playing out already, with more lives being lost senselessly. The travel industry should act fast and figure out how it can be part of the solution.

— Lebawit Lily Girma

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EU Expands Proposal to Welcome All Vaccinated Travelers to Europe

Skift

Destinations like Amsterdam (pictured) will welcome the news Monday that an EU officials wants to open up the 27-nation bloc to all fully vaccinated travelers.
Skift

Skift Take: The EU wants to expand its lists of travelers from seven permitted countries to all travelers, which, if approved, would be a boon for the tourism industry looking to make up for significant lost ground in the summer of 2021.

— Tom Lowry

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Europe to Open to Vaccinated U.S. Vacationers and 9 Other Top Travel Stories This Week

Steffen Ramsaler  / Flickr.com

Venice on May 23, 2016. Europe is expected to open to vaccinated U.S. travelers this summer. Steffen Ramsaler / Flickr.com

Skift Take: In Skift’s top travel stories this week, we covered Europe’s opening to vaccinated U.S. travelers, luxury travel’s recovery, Amtrak in the limelight, and American Airlines demothballing jets.

— Dennis Schaal

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UK Aims to Restart Some International Travel for Britons by May 17

David Dyson  / Heathrow Airports Ltd.

A view of Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5C, from the airfield on May 2011. David Dyson / Heathrow Airports Ltd.

Skift Take: Britons will have to wait a bit longer to find out where they can travel starting May 17. But it seems likely they’ll have to consider different destinations than their past preferences, given that the UK government seems likely to loosen restrictions for countries with high vaccination rates.

— Sean O’Neill

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