The CEO of Delta Air Lines expects an 'onslaught of travel all at once' in less than two weeks, when the US government will lift COVID-19 restrictions on travelers from 33 countries who show proof of vaccination.
'There will be lines, unfortunately,' said Delta head Ed Bastian at a travel conference hosted by the US Travel Association on Tuesday, adding that things are going to be 'a bit sloppy at first.'
On November 8, non-US citizen travelers from 33 countries - including the UK, India, China, Brazil, Ireland, Iran and South Africa - will be allowed entry in to the US with proof of vaccination.
Previously, only US citizens were allowed to enter the US from those countries.
An airline executive says things may get 'sloppy' as the US gets ready to welcome vaccinated travelers from 33 countries in less than two weeks. Above, JFK airport in New York last month
'There will be lines, unfortunately,' said Delta head Ed Bastian at a travel conference Tuesday
Travel is up substantially compared to the beginning of the year, with 1,503,587 going through airport security on Tuesday
It's not clear how much travel volume will rise. The number of people passing through TSA has already been inching closer to pre-pandemic levels in recent months.
President Biden announced the travel reopening on Monday, citing the rising availability of vaccines and US efforts to distribute them globally.
'In light of these facts and circumstances, I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to move away from the country-by-country restrictions previously applied during the COVID-19 pandemic and to adopt an air travel policy that relies primarily on vaccination to advance the safe resumption of international air travel to the United States,' Biden said.
Children under 18 will not need to show proof of vaccination, but children ages 2 to 17 will need a negative test to enter.
The test will have to be taken within three days of departure if traveling with a fully vaccinated adult or within one day if traveling with an unvaccinated adult.
