Airlines urge G7 to back data-driven travel reopening

Global airlines urged the G7 rich nations on Wednesday to replace blanket COVID-19 travel curbs with more flexible restrictions informed by data, artificial intelligence and risk analysis. Willie Walsh, head of the IATA, also said that airlines and passengers should be allowed to assess travel risks based on increasingly abundant health data. The former BA head said he was confident Europe could begin to return to normal travel in the second half of the year as vaccination rates rise. "With sensible testing and screening methods in place we can safely open our borders to regain the freedom that has been taken from us," he said. Ministers and officials from G7 countries are meeting in London on June 4-5 ahead of a leaders' summit next week. Airlines weakened by 15 months of lockdowns are facing a slower than expected recovery, as lingering travel restrictions overshadow the peak northern summer season. Concern over the spread of more transmissible coronavirus variants also threatens to slow reopening plans. IATA drew on UK testing data that showed a low incidence of COVID-19 in arriving passengers, during the joint presentation with Airbus (AIR.PA) and Boeing (BA.N) representatives, who demonstrated digital travel risk models.<br/>