Easing restrictions will boost US airlines but business travel still unclear

US airlines will benefit from the Biden administration's decision on Monday to reopen the country to fully-vaccinated air travelers from around the world, experts said, but the outlook for lucrative business travel was less certain. Lifting restrictions will allow tens of thousands of foreign nationals to fly to the US. It also gives the big three air carriers, American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, a chance to recover part of their trans-Atlantic business. Moody's Investors Service estimates the White House decision would result in a "stronger" operating cash flow at US airlines in the next six months. Trans-Atlantic flights accounted for 11% to 17% of their 2019 passenger revenues. Overall, international travel generated 26% to 38% of revenue for the three airlines in 2019, said Colin Scarola, vice president equity research at CFRA Research. Scarola added "the international category has been the one that really hasn't recovered much at all." The lifting of restrictions coincides with the onset of winter season, historically a lean period for international travel. Scarola said the decision would encourage companies to approve overseas business trips, yet the fight against COVID-19 was more important and he does not expect international travel to rebound to pre-pandemic level before late 2022. Savanthi Syth, an analyst at Raymond James, called the White House's decision an "incremental positive" that would give US carriers clarity for next year's summer travel season. Yet it did not prompt her to revise her financial estimates for them or the outlook for air-travel.<br/>