Even With Most U.S. Travelers Set to be Banned From Europe, Lufthansa Resumes Texas Flights, Offers COVID-19 Tests

Despite dismay that the European Union will likely ban travelers from the United States to its member countries when its borders reopen on July 1, Lufthansa is optimistically resuming service between Houston and its hub in Frankfurt, Germany on that very day.

International travelers are surely pleased to have the return of the completely efficient , friendly and comfortable carrier, providing Texans a renewed option for air travel to Europe. The German airline canceled its Houston-Frankfurt service due to the ban on all but essential travel between this country and much of Europe.

Lufthansa flights will resume three days a week with travel to Frankfurt on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays using an Airbus A330-300 with a three-class configuration of Business, Premium Economy and Economy classes.

How can this be we ask with the upcoming ban?

“Europe is not banning (all) travel from the US on July 1. Actually, there are millions of people in the US that can travel to the EU. When speaking of Lufthansa Group’s home markets – Germany and Austria,” Christina Semmel of Lufthansa Group Corporate Communications answered PaperCity‘s query.

“I can tell you that individuals living in the US that are permanent (European) residents, those that have dual citizenship, certain essential workers, diplomats, etc., can travel to Germany and Austria already. Now, they can avoid a 14-day quarantine in both Germany and Austria if they take the quick PCR test and the outcome is negative.”

Lufthansa has partnered with genetic biotech firm Centogene to offer fast PCR Corona tests. The test, certified by the relevant health authorities in Germany, requires a throat swab and provides results within four to five hours. The test results are delivered via an app link. If the result is negative, then travelers can avoid the 14-day quarantine regulation that is required when traveling from certain countries.

The announcement of the flight resumption noted that throughout the summer months, Lufthansa will be adding connections important to its Houston-based customers traveling to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India. These include flights within Germany, as well as to Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland. Flights to Israel have already resumed, and connections to the UAE begin on July 3.

“The Lufthansa Group is committed to connecting passengers and serving as a bridge between the continents,” says Larry Ryan, senior director of sales, USA for the Lufthansa Group. ‘We are especially excited to resume service for our Houston-based customers as we expand our network connections for the benefit of all travelers.”