WASHINGTON – Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, today joined a growing coalition of aviation, travel, and tourism industry organizations in sending a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling for the safe reopening of one of the world’s most important aviation markets.

“As the collective leaders of the U.S. and UK aviation, travel and tourism industry, we are writing to underscore the importance of both governments reopening one of the world’s most important aviation markets as soon as safely possible,” the coalition wrote. “Given the deep economic, social and cultural ties between our two nations, we believe your meeting ahead of the G7 in early June would be an ideal opportunity for a joint announcement of the full reopening of the U.S.-UK air travel market for both U.S. and UK citizens. We stand ready to support the work of governments in the interim to secure a positive outcome.”

Ensuring the health, safety and security of the traveling public and airport workers is an airport’s top priority. Since the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. and Canadian airports have taken proactive steps to collaborate with each other, along with government, airline and other industry stakeholders, on the best approaches to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

North American airports responded quickly to COVID-19 by establishing enhanced health and sanitation protocols that include much more frequent cleaning, with an intense focus on “touch points” in public areas and restrooms, more and upgraded cleaning supplies, extra shifts and staffing, additional hand sanitizers in airport public areas for passengers and employees, and additional education and training for airport employees and contractors. Many of these practices will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

See the full letter here.