All remaining Covid travel restrictions across Europe should be dropped, aviation bodies have demanded.
Airports Council International Europe (ACI) and Iata want to see the abolition of all testing requirements, the need to present proof of vaccination and Passenger Locator Forms.
Mask-wearing for travel within or between European countries where it is no longer required in other indoor environments should also be abandoned.
The two industry associations argue that as European countries open up and remove restrictions, “it is only logical” to remove similar restrictions from air transport.
They said: “Many European states have lifted domestic Covid restrictions, such as the need to provide health credentials to enter social events, or the requirement to wear masks in public spaces.
“Contact tracing efforts are also being stood down, rendering PLFs for international travel redundant.”
The two groups cite new research by Oxera/Edge Health showing that even if a new variant is discovered and travel restrictions introduced immediately, this only delays the peak of infections by a maximum of only four days.
Their call came is a joint letter to transport and health ministers across the European Union.
ACI Europe director general Olivier Jankovec said: “The independent research and modelling published today shows that governments can lift restrictions with confidence – both for today and for any future variants of concern.
“Travel restrictions have proven to be a blunt instrument with little to no impact on virus transmission.
“Removing all Covid-19 restrictions will finally fully restore the freedom to travel. That will be a much-needed boost for the whole travel and tourism sectors which has been forced to shed hundreds of thousands of jobs during the pandemic.”
Iata regional vice-president for Europe Rafael Schvartzman said: “March 11 marks exactly two years since the WHO announced Covid-19 was a global pandemic.
“In that time, we have seen increasing evidence that border restrictions are ineffective.
“The latest research from Oxera and Edge Health confirms that by the time a variant of concern is identified and restrictions are implemented, cross-border transmission will already have happened.
“Europe’s population immunity is strong and Covid-19 is essentially now an endemic disease.
“The time has come to focus their Covid efforts on surveillance and remove remaining intra-EU restrictions. This will free people to travel, and support jobs returning to the European air transport and travel sectors.”
• The World Travel & Tourism Council supports the call from Iata and ACI Europe to end restrictions in Europe.
Julia Simpson, WTTC president and chief executive, said: “The patchwork of restrictions do nothing to prevent the spread of Covid but have caused serious damage to the economy, causing the loss of jobs and businesses.
“Over the past few weeks, we have seen economies reopening. It is time to remove these ineffective restrictions and allow people to travel freely.”