Despite Restrictions, Star Alliance Carriers are Restarting International Flights

Even though there are traveler restrictions in multiple countries, three Star Alliance carriers are planning on restarting international routes as soon as Oct. 25. Lufthansa and United Airlines will restart flights between Denver and Germany, while Singapore Airlines is restarting flights from their home country to New York.

Although many nations still have quarantine requirements for arriving travelers from foreign lands, three Star Alliance carriers say they are moving forward with restarting select routes. Lufthansa and United Airlines are working together to start offering international flights between Denver and Germany, while Singapore Airlines is going to once again fly their once record-setting route between their country and New York.

International Flights Get Off the Ground Starting Oct. 26

The first service reintroductions will start on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, when Lufthansa lands at Denver International Airport (DEN). A press release from the airport says the German carrier will once again resume service between Denver and Munich Airport (MUC) on that date. This will be followed by United Airlines offering direct flights between Denver and Frankfurt Airport (FRA) starting on Monday, Nov. 2, 2020. From there, the two airlines will continue to work together in a joint venture to continually offer passenger service between Colorado and the two German cities.

“The resumption of service to Germany on both United and Lufthansa marks a significant milestone in our continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Denver International Airport CEO Kim Day said in the press release. “These flights will provide access for local passengers and travelers who need to connect through our large hub network.”

The service is restarting despite continued entry restrictions by both the United States and Germany. According to the German Federal Foreign Office, entry from the United States is only possible “in exceptional cases and is conditional on there being an urgent need.” In addition, the European Council still recommends member states do not allow U.S. nationals to enter the trade bloc out of concerns of spreading COVID-19. The United States is still not admitting individuals from the European Schengen area or the United Kingdom.

But Lufthansa and United are not the only two Star Alliance partners resuming international air travel. In their press release, Singapore Airlines announced they would resume flights between Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) starting on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. The move is equally based on passenger and cargo demand from the two cities.

“[Singapore Airlines] also anticipates significant cargo demand from a range of industries based in the New York metro area, including pharmaceuticals, e-commerce and technology firms,” the airline said in a press release. “The new service will provide the only non-stop air cargo link from the U.S. Northeast to Singapore, which serves as a regional distribution hub for many major U.S.-based companies.”

Although Channel News Asia reports Singapore is in the midst of developing reciprocal travel policies with several neighboring countries, they currently do not have an agreement for flyers to enter the United States from the city-state. In the other direction. short-term visitors from America must receive a SafeTravel pass or an approval letter of entry from the Singapore government.

Despite New Routes, Quarantine Rules Remain in Place

Even though the new air travel routes are restarting, quarantine restrictions are preventing many flyers from actually visiting destinations. Industry leaders now say that the quarantine rules must be replaced with COVID-19 testing policies. In his first speech as British Airways’ chief executive, Sean Doyle told an audience that Britain should drop the quarantine for a testing plan, while the International Air Transportation Association says pre-departure COVID-19 testing could help prevent additional spread while re-opening travel markets.