Green light for US travel
After 18 months, Biden lifts ban to allow Britons in (if they’re fully vaccinated) But it’s STILL not clear if children need jabs – and UK was blindsided by plan
HOLIDAYS to America can resume within weeks after Joe Biden ditched travel restrictions for double-jabbed Britons.
In a move which blindsided UK officials, Washington yesterday announced that the fully vaccinated will be welcome again from early November.
It ends an 18-month ban on Britons visiting the US without a special exemption, opening up the possibility of pre-Christmas shopping trips to New York or winter sun breaks to Florida.
But there was confusion last night over whether the relaxation would apply to children.
The US ban was imposed by then-President Donald Trump in March last year. It is estimated to have cost British businesses £23million a day.
Boris Johnson, who is in the US for a United Nations summit, had planned to urge Mr Biden to drop the flight ban at a White House meeting today. But the President’s administration yesterday informed the PM about the decision just before announcing it. Hours earlier, the PM had warned journalists not to expect a breakthrough.
While he said there was an ‘overwhelming case’ for the US to allow in fully vaccinated travellers from the UK, he warned people not to ‘hold your breath’. He added: ‘I don’t think this is going to be necessarily fixed this week.’
However, following last night’s shock announcement, Mr Johnson declared it was ‘great news’.
He said: ‘It’s a fantastic boost for business and trade, and great that family and friends on both sides of the pond can be reunited.’
He added: ‘I thank the President for the progress we’ve been able to make. Yes we have done it faster than we expected but that’s thanks to the hard work of our teams.’
Despite the confusion over children, No 10 confirmed British travellers with the AstraZeneca jab would be covered by the agreement, despite the fact the US has yet to approve it for use. A spokesman said: ‘Any vaccine received in the UK, approved by the NHS, approved by the World Health Organisation, will be applicable.’
It is a boost for the nearly five million UK residents who visited America each year pre-pandemic. It was also hailed as a ‘historic moment’ by the travel industry. Shares in International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways, jumped 10 per cent on the news.
The London-New York transatlantic route was the most profitable in the world pre-pandemic and the industry has been crying out for a two-way travel corridor for months. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, the main UK-registered carriers who service the route, were hit particularly hard.
British Airways Holidays said it saw an increase of nearly 700 per cent in searches for trips to the US compared to last week.
Britain dropped its restrictions on double-jabbed US visitors in July as a ‘goodwill gesture’.
The November changes mean double-jabbed Britons will need to take a pre-departure test within 72 hours of a flight to the US, showing proof of a negative result before boarding. Airlines will be required to collect contact information from international travellers so that they can be traced if required.
Last week ministers announced an overhaul of foreign travel rules, with the traffic light system being replaced by a two-tier regime which will also see costly tests dropped for the fully-vaccinated by the end of October. However, once these and the US changes come into effect, fully vaccinated passengers travelling to America will still have to pay for a pre-departure test and a post-return test by day two of arrival in the UK.
British Airways chief Sean Doyle said: ‘The news... marks a historic moment and one which will provide a huge boost to global Britain.’
Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, said: ‘The UK will now be able to strengthen ties with our most important economic partner, the US, boosting trade and tourism as well as reuniting friends, families and business colleagues.’
Joanne Dooey, president of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, the professional body for the travel sector in Scotland welcomed the news.
She said: ‘America is one of the most significant markets for Scottish travel agents.
‘Pre-pandemic, there were around six flights daily from Glasgow and Edinburgh direct to the States, so the importance of this move for the whole Scottish travel sector and the 26,000 jobs it sustains, can’t be under estimated.
‘Of course, we await... confirmation that this will apply to Scotland, but it is certainly a very important change to travel rules. This could also be the saviour for inbound travel to Scotland and the high-spending American visitors it brings.’
‘A huge boost for Global Britain’