US airlines ask Trump to lift certain travel restrictions, approve ramped-up coronavirus-testing procedures

Industry trade group Airlines for America is asking the Trump administration to lift certain entry restrictions on international travelers while advocating for measures that would require more passengers to take a COVID-19 test before boarding a flight.

The group, which represents most of the major U.S. airlines, said in a letter to Vice President Mike Pence that travel restrictions should be removed and supplanted by a global testing program, which would provide “yet another layer of safety in the travel journey.”

“We believe a well-planned program focused on increasing testing of travelers to the United States will further these objectives in a much more effective way than the blanket travel restrictions currently in place,” the group wrote.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention proposal would require international travelers to produce a negative test before entering the U.S.

READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS BY CLICKING HERE  

Currently, the U.S. restricts entry among passengers from Europe, the United Kingdom and Brazil, which are the three countries Airlines for America mentioned in its plea.

After a new variant strain of the virus was discovered in Britain, the U.S. began asking travelers entering the country to show a negative test result prior to flying.

Several airlines are offering coronavirus testing to help passengers feel safer boarding a flight. Some destinations require travelers to go for a test – or they will be required to quarantine upon arrival.

Airlines have been among the main industries devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has reduced travel substantially.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE