Donald Trump could lift UK travel ban before Christmas, aviation experts claim

Travel restrictions could be set to be lifted for the first time since March allowing Brits to fly to America before Christmas

Donald Trump could lift travel restrictions between the US and Europe before Christmas ((Associated Press))

Donald Trump could lift the US travel ban blocking Americans from flying to the UK and Europe before Christmas, according to industry and aviation experts.

The US Department of Homeland Security is understood to have recommended the move which could be authorised by the president through an executive order next Tuesday.

At the start of the pandemic Mr Trump banned travel to Britain, Ireland, and 26 other European countries, in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Last month it was reported that the White House was considering rescinding entry bans for most non-US citizens across Europe and Brazil.

Since then there has been no decision by president Donald Trump, but UK officials have held a series of high-level talks with White House and cabinet officials.

According to Reuters a spokesperson for the UK Department for Transport said: “Restarting transatlantic flights is of critical importance to the economic recovery of the UK and the US, the airline industry and for British nationals, most of whom cannot enter the US. British officials continue to pursue the resolution to this issue."

US airlines have been hit hard during the pandemic, and lifting the restrictions would be seen as a lifeline according to experts which say international travel has fallen by 70 per cent.

In October, Florida governor Ron DeSantis said he had urged Trump to ease travel restrictions from Europe and Brazil to help boost the state’s struggling tourism economy.

Airlines for America, a group representing American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and others, told Reuters last month it has “been advocating for the federal government to set a national standard on testing in order to lift travel restrictions”.

The British also raised the possibility of using testing to establish a flight bubble between London and New York or easing travel restrictions for people who have been vaccinated.

For Brits entering the US quarantine restrictions or test requirements would be left down to individual US states to determine what they would impose on non-US arrivals into the country.

The flight corridor between New York and the UK is one of the busiest in the world (Reuters)

Britain requires any US or other arriving passengers from countries without a travel corridor to quarantine for 10 days, unless they are tested negative from the fifth day onwards.

The restrictions bar entry of most non-US residents who have been in those countries in the previous 14 days, but the US State Department has been granting some “national interest exceptions” to allow travellers from Europe related to “humanitarian travel, public health response and national security”.

Paul Charles, chief executive of the travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “Lifting the ban would be a major boost to the travel industry to open up such an important market.

“It would significantly boost confidence in the travel sector in order to get global business moving and help open up.”