British Airways expects restriction-free travel by summer

LONDON - British Airways sees "room for optimism" that transatlantic flights might open up in the coming weeks. Chief executive Sean Doyle expects demand for flights between the UK and United States return quickly as soon as Covid-19 travel restrictions are lifted on both sides of the pond.

Vaccination progress puts the UK and US "almost neck to neck", Doyle said Monday. "This gives you room for optimism that Europe will be able to open up.

Covid-19 travel restrictions put transatlantic flights nearly to a halt in 2020. Restoring traffic to the United States is "a great opportunity" for British Airways "to get up and running" again, Doyle said. British Airways hopes for "restrictions-free" travel between the UK and US this summer.

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hinted to relax travel restrictions for vaccinated Americans in the bloc.