Airlines' shares rise as EU set to let in US tourists this summer

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU plans to open its doors to American tourists who’ve been fully vaccinated. Picture: Aris Oikonomou/ AP

Airline shares on both sides of the Atlantic, including those in the Aer Lingus owner IAG, Ryanair,  Lufthansa, and United Airlines rose sharply on the prospects that the EU will make it easier for international tourists to travel in the coming months. 

By early summer, countries of the EU and beyond aim to issue vaccine passports that would let those who have been inoculated freely cross borders. Some places – Australia and New Zealand, for instance, and Singapore and Hong Kong – are joining together to create “travel bubbles” that allow citizens to visit without mandatory quarantines.