The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that masks are still required on airplanes, buses, and trains despite previously announcing a relaxation of the facial covering protocols, which include that fully vaccinated individuals will no longer need to wear masks or physically distance indoors or outdoors, reports Travel Pulse. “CDC’s updated guidance for fully vaccinated people continues to require that all travelers wear face masks on airplanes and at airports, and US airlines will enforce the requirement on flights as long as the federal mandate is in place,” a spokesperson for the CDC said. President Joe Biden and his administration issued a mandate in January requiring facial coverings on public transportation, including in transit stations and airports. In April, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) extended enforcement of the order through September 13th.

European Union (EU) countries have agreed to ease COVID-19 travel restrictions on non-EU visitors, reports Reuters. Ambassadors from the 27 EU countries approved a European Commission proposal to loosen the criteria to determine "safe" countries and to let in fully vaccinated travelers from elsewhere, EU sources said. They are expected to set a new list this week or early next week. Based on data from the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Britain and a number of other countries would meet the new criteria. The US would not, although Americans with proof of vaccination would be welcomed. Under current restrictions, people from only seven countries can enter the EU for leisure purposes, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated.

Delta Air Lines has announced that it is building on its position along the East Coast with service from Boston and New York to four new markets and upgraded aircraft for an elevated onboard experience. “As demand grows, our commitment to Boston and New York is stronger than ever, which is why we’re continuing to invest in these communities to offer more nonstops and greater connectivity to top markets,” said Joe Esposito, SVP – Network Planning. Beginning October 4th, the carrier is launching twice-daily service from Boston (BOS) to Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW) and three daily flights from BOS to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). In addition, Delta will upgrade its service from BOS to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) to the A220-100 aircraft, and it plans to add the aircraft to other business routes in the fall, including Boston to Raleigh/Durham International Airport (RDU) and New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD). The carrier also is adding new service to Toronto's Pearson International Airport (YYZ) this fall, with three daily flights from BOS starting October 4th and two daily flights from LGA starting August 5th.

United Airlines has announced that it is adding more than 400 daily flights to its July schedule, with 80 percent of its 2019 domestic schedule restored for the month. United will add new routes to Bozeman, MT; Orange County, CA; Raleigh, NC; and Yellowstone/Cody, WY. The airline is also adjusting its flight times at its hubs at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to provide more convenient options for travelers. In addition to the increased domestic service, United is giving travelers more options to visit Europe from New York/Newark by adding an additional weekly flight to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and operating a larger aircraft to Athens, Greece.

In his latest LinkedIn Influencer article, CEO Paul Metselaar discusses his first in-person meeting in over a year and how the team prepared, lessons learned, and the value of sharing a moment with colleagues face-to-face.