Looking Ahead To Summer, Airline Execs Seek An End To Masks And Tests

Looking Ahead To Summer, Airline Execs Seek An End To Masks And Tests

Share to Linkedin Executives of the biggest U. S. airlines are urging the Biden administration to bring an end to Covid-era travel restrictions. In an open letter, the CEOs of American, Delta, United, Southwest and others write that predeparture testing requirements and mask mandates "no longer make sense in the current public health context." Indeed, domestic and international traffic is up as passengers' comfort level with taking a flight is at its highest level since the pandemic began, according to a survey by Evercore ISI. The firm's sales survey also shows that bookings rose for a ninth straight week as of March 22, with leisure demand driving much of the growth. International travel continues to lag domestic travel, but it's also strengthening. Evercore ISI analysts Oscar Sloterbeck and James Walsh believe capacity is poised to increase next month (April) as we head into the busy summer travel season. This belief is confirmed by Expedia, which expects an "amazing summer." Expedia for Business president Ariane Gorin said last week that the online booking agency is seeing a rise in the number of U. S. travelers searching for European packages. "People are keen to spend the money that they have saved during