“We’re going back to see the family”: in Roissy, the first travelers take advantage of the reopening of the border – franceinfo

Behind her shy smile and her blond hair, the young Camille knows well why she is, Monday, November 8, in the departure lounge at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle: “We’re going back home !” On the shoulders of her dad, her little brother Maxime returns with her to New York. The American nationality of the youngest made life easier for the family for administrative formalities. After 20 months of closure, the United States on Monday, November 8 lifted entry restrictions at the borders for those vaccinated.

>> “Two years is a long time”: the French living in the United States relieved of the reopening of the borders

With the travel ban that had been decided by Donald Trump due to the Covid-19 epidemic in early 2020, nationals of around thirty countries, including those in the Schengen area, could no longer travel to the United States.

Prince and his family are also returning home. Being French, they are now certain not to be blocked on their return to the American border. A real breath of fresh air. “We’re going home to see the family, because of the Covid, we couldn’t do it before”, explains Prince, who has not seen his relatives for three years.

Boarding pass in hand, Valentin is the only one to leave. He will be able to resume his normal work as a decorator. “I have samples in the United States, he says. I haven’t been able to go for a year and a half. All the meetings with the clients are by video, it is not easy. ” Focused on their laptops or emails, business travelers are back. Good news for airlines that are making significant profits on these seats.

From postponement to postponement, Tara and her colleague have also paid for their “much more expensive” tickets, they explain: “We must have taken them at the last minute because we were never sure of the dates. “ They estimate that they have paid for their tickets three times more than usual, the bill amounting to 3,500 euros in total.

It must be said that the reservation request has skyrocketed. “From the first announcements, even without a date, we had a significant increase in bookings which was amplified once the date and terms were clarified., explains Henri de Peyrelongue, deputy commercial director of Air France KLM.

“The demand is very strong for departures close to the month of November or for the holiday season. The most popular destinations are New York, Miami or Los Angeles.”

Henri de Peyrelongue, Deputy Commercial Director Air France KLM

to franceinfo

Like the other companies, Air France is stepping up its flight program on its 11 US stopovers and is hoping for a near return to normal in March. But in the event of a new epidemic outbreak, it also retains its ability to adapt its flight program, even if it means postponing or canceling if necessary.