Airport Alert: AAAE Pushes for Safe Reopening of International Travel by July 15
July 7, 2021
AAAE joined 23 other aviation, travel, and tourism associations and the Chamber of Commerce in releasing a policy framework with recommendations on how to relax travel restrictions and safely reopen international travel. This framework is the latest step in our continued efforts to push the federal government to issue a blueprint or roadmap that outlines how it will reopen international travel by a date certain. Our framework recommends that occur by July 15, 2021, when the U.S. is currently forecast to achieve widespread immunity and recognizing the country's sustained decline in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
Key points in the framework include:
• Allow expedited entry into the U.S. for fully vaccinated individuals from non-high-risk countries.
• Quickly lift entry restrictions and reopen travel between the U.S. and the United Kingdom (U.K.) given the two countries' similar vaccination records.
• Reserve entry restrictions for only the highest-risk countries.
• Replace all other blanket travel restrictions with a framework of entry protocols based on a country-by-country and individual traveler risk assessment.
• Ensure the framework is easy to understand, communicate, and implement.
Also earlier today, 75 members of Congress sent a letter to President Biden urging the Administration to begin taking science-based, data-driven steps to safely reopen international travel to the United States. Their letter highlights several near-term steps:
• Reopen the land border and restarting air travel between the U.S. and Canada based on high vaccination rates in both countries.
• Develop a risk-based, data-driven roadmap to ease inbound entry restrictions.
• Lift 212(f) for the U.K. and reestablish travel between the U.S. and the U.K.
• Clarify and broaden the national interest exemption for 212f countries to increase the number of foreign nationals permitted.
• Increase visa processing capacity for tourism and business visas.
Several Senators are expected to send a similar letter to the White House.
AAAE joined 23 other aviation, travel, and tourism associations and the Chamber of Commerce in releasing a policy framework with recommendations on how to relax travel restrictions and safely reopen international travel. This framework is the latest step in our continued efforts to push the federal government to issue a blueprint or roadmap that outlines how it will reopen international travel by a date certain. Our framework recommends that occur by July 15, 2021, when the U.S. is currently forecast to achieve widespread immunity and recognizing the country's sustained decline in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
Key points in the framework include:
• Allow expedited entry into the U.S. for fully vaccinated individuals from non-high-risk countries.
• Quickly lift entry restrictions and reopen travel between the U.S. and the United Kingdom (U.K.) given the two countries' similar vaccination records.
• Reserve entry restrictions for only the highest-risk countries.
• Replace all other blanket travel restrictions with a framework of entry protocols based on a country-by-country and individual traveler risk assessment.
• Ensure the framework is easy to understand, communicate, and implement.
Also earlier today, 75 members of Congress sent a letter to President Biden urging the Administration to begin taking science-based, data-driven steps to safely reopen international travel to the United States. Their letter highlights several near-term steps:
• Reopen the land border and restarting air travel between the U.S. and Canada based on high vaccination rates in both countries.
• Develop a risk-based, data-driven roadmap to ease inbound entry restrictions.
• Lift 212(f) for the U.K. and reestablish travel between the U.S. and the U.K.
• Clarify and broaden the national interest exemption for 212f countries to increase the number of foreign nationals permitted.
• Increase visa processing capacity for tourism and business visas.
Several Senators are expected to send a similar letter to the White House.
