Airlines are pushing the Biden Administration to drop a number of travel restrictions including pre-flight testing requirement for travelers flying to the USA, if they are vaccinated. They also want U.S. health officials to unequivocally state that vaccinated travelers can travel safely and work with other nations to develop verifiable vaccine passports. But thus far, the Biden Administration seems unwilling to take such substantive steps.
Airlines Ask Biden Administration To Drop Travel Restrictions
The demand list includes the following:
- Maintain the inbound international testing mandate and other key mitigation measures, which obviates the need for mandatory quarantines upon arrival
- Exempt vaccinated individuals from the international testing requirements, while avoiding vaccine requirements as a prerequisite to travel
- Update CDC guidance to state that vaccinated individuals can travel safely
- Develop uniform Federal principles for COVID-19 health credentials (CHCs)
- Quickly begin bilateral negotiations to ease travel restrictions through public health corridors
- Develop clear benchmarks and a transparent framework for determining when all inbound international travel restrictions can be lifted
- Prioritize the resumption of international travel on the agenda of the upcoming G-7 Meeting
- Once entry restrictions are lifted, consistently review on a monthly basis whether the inbound international testing mandate and other safety precautions are still needed
You can review the full letter sent to the White House here. It was signed not only by Airlines for America, the trade group representing major U.S. airlines, but also by the Association of Flight Attendants, the largest flight attendant union in the United States.
Yet the Biden Administration and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) seems reluctant at this point. On Monday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky warned:
“If we look at our European friends, we just don’t want to be at this rapid uptick of cases again, and that is very possible that that could happen. We are so close to vaccinating so many more people …. Now is not the time to travel.”
Any reduction in travel restrictions will likely be gradual and the Biden Administration’s “multi-layered” approach means that redundant measures (vaccination plus testing, for example) will likely remain in place for quite some time.
CONCLUSION
It is hardly surprising that airlines would act in their own self-interest in order promote favorable public policy. However, my sense is that airlines will have to wait for several months, at a minimum, before receiving their wishes.
image: Airlines For America
We need to teach Biden how to walk up a set of stairs properly before dropping travel restrictions. What an embarrassing moment for this country. He needs to stop taking care of Illegals and start helping the American people. A USELESS “president”…Nasty Kamala is even more worse. All she is good for is giving blowies.
LOL @Ben above. Me thinks he’s been hijacked:)
When you have a disgraceful VP that refuses to salute the military on Air Force 2 it tells a lot about what matters to this administration. No, she is not required to do that but it is a matter of respect which does not exist in this administration and she clearly did not have a good education at home to learn how to respect people that serves her country. And just a reminder, was researched, developed and secured under the previous administration.
@santastico How dare you comment negatively on our beautiful VP? Aren’t you the brazilian dude trying to paint a wonderful picture of your country with respect to Covid. Idiot!
I guess she must of learned that behavior from the last President who called fallen military “suckers”and “losers”.
Btw our VP was educated here in the US, her home. Not white enough for you, Santastico?
I think it will be another year before the Harris administration drops these strict travel restrictions. Glad that someone is looking out for us.
Nasty Kamala has a nasty and smelly cunt. I wouldn’t go anywhere near her, I would definitely have to triple bag it before going inside.
Wildly inappropriate comment.
@Michael P.: She is a shame for this country and so are you. Are you living in grandpa’s Joe basement? As for Brazil, 12MM vaccinated and counting. Read about the nasty Manaus Covid strain that has been all over Brazil and maybe you will understand what is going on there. Hopefully they have in audio since I don’t think you can read anything.
@Pete: I am talking about receiving education and good manners at home. I learned from my parents how to respect people. Not even acknowledging the military guys by the stair of the plane is very disrespectful. Is this how she treats everyone that work wit her?
@Santastico Dumb idiot. You have no business criticizing our VP. Get the F out of here and use your energy helping your fellow Brazilians.
@Pete: Also, go gives a s..t about her skin color? I could not care less if she is blue, green, red, purple, yellow, rainbow colored, etc… as long as she treats people well and with respect. People that bring skin color to everything are the racist ones.
@Sandra: it looks like you don’t care for respect. Feel bad for you.
“Fox News is taking fire from military experts after the conservative media outlet and some of its strongest allies attacked Vice President Kamala Harris for not saluting members of the U.S. Military. As experts explained, Harris is not a member of the military nor in the chain of command, and it would be inappropriate for her to do so. It would also signal a weakening of civilian control.” I wonder what kind of birdseed Santastico eats? Is it fun to be a parrot?
Well it looks like this comment section got unhinged and off topic really quickly.
I feel like rewarding vaccinated people with fewer restrictions is good encouragement to actually get the vaccine. One can understand the science, but also be frustrated that despite being fully vaccinated, they’re still essentially being told to stay home.
@Ben is a slimy little prick. I love when the tears of trumptards bring them to comment incessantly to assuage their token hearts and compensate for their micro penis. Much like their disgraced leader, they are not men anymore, just cockroaches infesting the internet.
lol @Matthew control your comments section
@Ben – harder to climb up a staircase in a heavy crosswind that it is to walk down a very very gentle ramp slowly on a calm dry day