Airlines Push to Restore Transatlantic Travel Through Joint COVID-19 Testing

Major global airlines are reportedly pressing officials in the U.S. and European Union (E.U.) to rapidly restore transatlantic commercial air travel by proposing a joint COVID-19 testing program between America and the continent.

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AP News revealed that, in a letter today, the respective CEOs of United Airlines, American Airlines, International Airlines Group (IAG) and Lufthansa Group wrote: “Given the unquestioned importance of transatlantic air travel to the global economy, as well as to the economic recovery of our businesses, we believe it is critical to find a way to reopen air services between the U.S. and Europe.”

A collaborative coronavirus testing program, the letter said, “could be an excellent opportunity for government and industry to work together,” and could serve as a viable means to, “safely restore passenger travel between the U.S. and Europe.”

The letter, marked “with urgency”, was addressed to both the United States’ Vice President, Mike Pence, and European Home Affairs Commissioner, Ylva Johansson; and was signed by United’s Scott Kirby, Lufthansa’s Carsten Spohr, American Airlines’ Doug Parker and Willie Walsh at IAG, the parent company of British Airways and Iberia.