When the US announced in late September that it would reopen borders to vaccinated Europeans, KLM president and CEO Pieter Elbers noted to himself that the all-important transatlantic market had been effectively closed for 557 days. The opening, now pegged for Nov. 8, is hugely significant for two reasons, Elbers said during an interview in Boston on the sidelines of the IATA AGM- itself restored to an in-person event this year. "It's important because of Amsterdam's position in Europe. We see Amsterdam coming back and it will drive business, tourism and VFR traffic. It's very meaningful businesswise, because we have seen quite a lot of Americans coming to Europe over the last couple of months," he said. "Second, travel from Europe to the US and vice versa is such a part of globalization, which makes this much more meaningful. Look at the history of Boston and its connection to Europe. There's light at the end of the tunnel. People can now make their plans for Christmas and for next summer." Elbers said there was an immediate uptick in bookings for transatlantic travel.
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