The State Department has tightened its travel advice on the advice of the RIVM: The United States is moving from a ‘high risk area’ to a ‘high risk area’. Travelers to the Netherlands must also show a negative in the corona test. The isolation period is set at ten days. Five days after arrival in the Netherlands, passengers will be allowed to leave the house early only if the test is negative.

Like the Netherlands, the omigran variant of the corona virus now dominates the United States. The U.S. media reported earlier this week that the peak of omigran infections in the United States was already higher than the previous delta variant. The number of hospital admissions is still low.

Travel to the United States is important for both the airline KLM and Schiphol and the Dutch travel industry. Each year, approximately 720,000 Dutch tourists visit the United States, and we receive more than 1.6 million tourists from the country. Also, many Dutch people live as families in the United States.

Twenty months later when the US borders reopened in November many travelers were not without reason to raise their flag. At Schiphol, travelers were delighted because they could finally meet loved ones again.

At the same time, the United States is also an important trade route to KLM and Schiphol Airport. After all, business travelers are filling up on more expensive seats. Prior to Corona, the airline generated 20 percent of its turnover from routes to the United States. KLM’s US partner Delta has a large base in Schiphol. KLM CEO Peter Elbers saw the reopening of the United States as a key point for the airline, but now sees that recovery as rising in smoke. On Tuesday morning, the airline reiterated the importance of the United States to KLM. “The effect of bookings is yet to be determined, but passengers will benefit from consistent and clear travel restrictions. KLM invites you to strive internationally for clear and consistent agreements on this.

Over the past weekend, several U.S. airlines have canceled thousands of flights due to the Corona disaster. The Department of Civil Aviation is critical of this decision because it is believed to have a double standard.

“This is an exaggerated hysteria that focuses unilaterally on anything flying in the air. We’re all fine on the train or car going to Antwerp for shopping, but vaccinated passengers from the United States should be isolated in the Netherlands. Says Marnix Frootma Foreman.