By Reuters and Sean Nevin -
NBC News
LONDON - Travelers excited at the prospect of seeing family and friends in the United States for the first time since the pandemic began took off early Monday from London and other cities following the lifting of US travel restrictions.
Extraordinary U.S. restrictions, first imposed in early 2020, had barred air travelers from 33 countries
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including China, India, and much of Europe
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and also restricted entry by land from Mexico. and Canada.
This unprecedented ban has dealt a severe blow to tourism, but it has also prevented loved ones from attending weddings, funerals or meeting new family members.
Gail and Paul Chamberlain were looking forward to meeting their daughter's fiancé in person as they prepared to catch a flight to Los Angeles from London Heathrow Airport.
"I'm so glad I could cry," Gail Chamberlain, 67, told NBC News.
“I am going to buy a wedding dress.
That I never thought I could do with her, "he added.
Starting Monday, travelers who can show an official proof of vaccination against COVID-19, as well as a recent (less than 72 hours) and negative test can fly to the United States.
Land reopening
Also, starting Monday, the nearly 3,000-kilometer border between Mexico and the United States will also be open again.
Hundreds of migrants have arrived in Mexican border cities like Tijuana, in the hope that the readjustment will facilitate the crossing and the search for asylum in the United States.
At land border crossings, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will ask if travelers have been vaccinated and will randomly check some documents.
Those under the age of 18 do not have to be vaccinated, but they do need to undergo a diagnostic test for COVID-19.
Children 2 years and younger are exempt from the testing requirements.
Non-tourist travelers from nearly 50 countries with vaccination rates below 10% nationwide may also be exempted.
"A day of celebration"
"We went from zero activity to one similar to the October 2019 levels, that is, before COVID-19," said Jerome Thomann of the Paris-based travel agency Jetset Voyages, which specializes in travel to North America.
Few to no empty seats are expected on many of the international flights from London, Paris and elsewhere on Monday, with passenger volume expected to remain high in the coming weeks.
To mark the occasion, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic launched two flights together for the first time from London Heathrow Airport to New York's JFK.
There was a festive atmosphere at the airport, with people dressed in red, white and blue entertaining travelers.
The two airlines marked the reopening on their social media accounts as well, with Virgin posting a photo of a new "American-themed cocktail."
Airlines, which have warned that there will likely be long lines at the beginning, will check vaccination documentation for international travelers as they currently do with COVID-19 test results.
The reopening of the United States to British travelers will help all airlines that operate between the two countries, but for the British company Virgin Atlantic, focused on transatlantic transport, it means "the world," said its chief executive.
"Today is a day of celebration," CEO Shai Weiss told NBC News.
British Airways chief Sean Doyle agreed, saying the airline has seen the enthusiasm from business travelers to return.
"In addition to the human aspect, it is very important for business and commerce that we get this corridor up and running again," he told NBC News.
"The ties are very strong and travel is a key part to enable that economic activity," he added.
Delta said that in the six weeks since the announcement of the US reopening it had seen a 450% increase in bookings at international outlets compared to the six weeks prior to the announcement, although most experts they believe corporate travel will lag behind the recovery in leisure travel.