Give Us Your Tired, Poor, Vaccinated Masses: US to End Most Travel Bans for Vaccinated Visitors
The federal government plans to lift most travel bans and restrictions for international visitors who are vaccinated against COVID-19. The changes will take effect in early November in order to take advantage of increased travel around National Scrapple Day which falls on November 9 this year.
Non-citizens visiting the United States will be required to show proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of departure, and must be able to explain what a balk is.
The CDC will require airlines to collect passenger information to aid in contact tracing. It also plans to use the information to follow up with any economy class passengers whose dining choice is the fish option on the flight over to check on their well-being.
The travel industry, led by airlines, has been advocating for this change for months, going so far as to attempt to bribe government officials with frequent flier miles to make the restrictions go away. The bribe almost worked until those on the take realized they were being offered Delta SkyMiles, a currency with less value right now than the Venezuelan bolívar.
Winter Waiver Wish Will Work Wonders
Slot-controlled US airports including New York/JFK, New York/LGA, and Washington/National will have the slot waivers they have in place extended in lieu of “use it or lose it” rules that are usually in place – but with one giant exception.
The current waiver is set to expire next month, but the proposal from the government is to extend it once more, this time through March 26 – but for international operations only. The international caveat means that the government is likely to require airlines to fly all of their domestic flights or face the possibility of losing them. That may very well lead to slot-squatting by flying short routes. Get ready for a whole lot more flights to New York, Baltimore!
With domestic travel recovering nearly to pre-pandemic levels despite the rise of the Delta B.1.617.2 and other variants, this does seem like a reasonable compromise, a rare accomplishment for the federal government. This will offer relief to international carriers operating to the US, likely leading to reciprocity for American-based airlines operating at slot-controlled airlines overseas.
The compromise is very similar to a request made earlier this year by JetBlue, making it something Spirit is then going to object to just on principal. It plans to send lawyers to DC to make their objections in person, but booked them on their own airline, making it a less than 50-50 shot the lawyers ever make it to Washington.
Lufthansa Adds a Cool €2.1 Billion
Lufthansa is moving forward with a €2.1 billion capital increase, the proceeds of which it will use to pay the German government back for state aid it issued during the height of the pandemic and to buy each employee and customer a hot pretzel during the month of October.
The €2.1 billion is being underwritten by a syndicate of banks and BlackRock. The continued rollout of vaccines across the world and lifting of travel restrictions has the carrier in position to take advantage of the recovery in air travel, giving confidence to its lenders. Lufthansa expects to turn a profit in Q3 and operated with load factors over 70% in August.
Lufthansa says the capital increase is designed to increase its equity position, which is the same thing someone says when they land on Chance when playing Monopoly and pull the $200 bank error in your favor card.
For each share of Lufthansa stock owned by a shareholder, an offer will be made at a 1:1 ratio during the subscription period of September 22 through October 5. After the capital increase, the carrier will have 1.2 billion shares of outstanding stock, up from the current figure of nearly 600 million.
- Air Calédonie is currently grounded due to a new lockdown in New Caledonia. Old Caledonia has not announced a lockdown.
- Alliance Airlines formed a union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations, with Embraer to provide support for the carrier’s fleet of E190 aircraft.
- American sent out a press release about a thing that it’s doing that seems to have something to do with the environment or something.
- British Airways is making it Concorde Room in both London/Heathrow and New York/JFK available to all Gold guest list members of its frequent flier program. It will remain inaccessible for BA first class passengers as any sucker who buys that product doesn’t deserve lounge access.
- Cabo Verde Airlines, like many college students around the world, needs more cash to resume operations.
- China Southern Airlines plans to sell 95% of its property maintenance unit. It plans to keep the leftover 5% for at least a week in the fridge before tossing it out.
- Connect Airlines, the Porter-clone from Waltzing Matilda Airlines — right down to the lack of actual flying — received the DOT equivalent of a breakup letter from the government, as it detailed everything about Waltzing Matilda that’s lacking, comes up short, and is woefully inadequate.
- flyadeal completedadeal for three new A320neo aircraft.
- Flyr is launchng three new routes to Copenhagen, Paris, and Rome.
- ITA — the successor of Alitalia — has been granted permission by the US to fly to the country from Italy. ITA is supposed to start flying on October 15.
- Maroomba Airlines took delivery of its first Q300. Aye, Maroomba.
- Medavia wet-leased a B737 to operate in Libya.
- Pakistan International Airlines will receive a $260 million bailout package from the Pakistan government. The money will presumably be used to hire someone to check pilots credentials and experience.
- Philippine Airlines is using 15 older aircraft, engines and frequent flier miles as collateral to secure a loan.
- Starlux is considering operating either the A330neo or the A350 on its Taipei-Singapore route. The carrier is also deciding between a buffet or passed heavy apps at its holiday party this December.
- Surinam Airlines is in talks to add an ex-KLM A330 to its fleet. It’s also in talks to add leftover ex-KLM Delft Houses to its corporate HQ to spruce things up a bit.
Did you hear about the mute chicken? It didn’t give a cluck.
(My apologies for the fowl language).