Passengers travel to the United States while Reuters reopens

(Corrects the name in the eighth paragraph)

PARIS / LONDON (Reuters) – Travelers began traveling to the United States on Monday to see relatives and friends for the first time in nearly two years after removing restrictions on access to non-US citizens to help reduce the spread. coronavirus.

The extraordinary U.S. travel restrictions imposed in early 2020 have barred access for air travelers from 33 countries – including a large part of China, India and Europe – and also restricted access from Mexico and Canada by land.

The unprecedented ban has dealt a huge blow to tourism, but it has prevented loved ones from getting married, from funerals, or from meeting new children.

From Monday, travelers who can show official evidence of the vaccine against COVID-19 and who have recently had a negative virus test can fly to the United States.

“We went from zero activity to something similar to the October 2019 levels, so before COVID,” said Jerome Thomann, of the Jetset Voyages travel agency in Paris, which specializes in travel to North America.

Many international flights to London, Paris and elsewhere are expected to have empty or empty seats on Monday, and passenger volume is expected to remain high in the coming weeks.

‘CRYING’

Bindiya Patel was one of those who planned to be on the first flight to New York from Heathrow on Monday morning.

Patel, from south London, was very excited to finally meet his nephew for the first time. “I think we will start crying,” he told Reuters on Monday.

Initially warned that there will probably be long queues, airlines will check the vaccination documentation for international travelers as they currently do in the results of COVID-19 tests.

The reopening of the U.S. to British travelers will help all airlines operating between the two countries, but for the UK-based Virgin Atlantic over the UK, its CEO means “the world”.

“This is a market that is at the core of everything we do,” CEO Shai Weiss said in an interview.

Delta said in the six weeks since the reopening of the U.S. was announced, international point-of-sale bookings had increased by 450% compared to the six weeks before the announcement, although most experts believe the business trip will delay the recovery of leisure. travel.

As of Monday, the nearly 2,000-mile (3,200 km) border between Mexico and the United States will also reopen.

Hundreds of migrants have arrived in Mexican border cities, such as Tijuana, in the hope that resettlement will make it easier for them to cross and apply for U.S. asylum.

At land border crossings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will ask passengers if they have been vaccinated and will verify any documentation.

Children under the age of 18 are exempt from the new vaccination requirements. Non-tourist travelers from almost 50 countries with vaccination rates of less than 10% nationwide will also be eligible for the exemption.

(This story corrects the name of the eighth paragraph)