(Reuters) - United Airlines said on Monday it would add more than 400 daily flights to its July schedule and increase services to re-opened European destinations as easing pandemic restrictions spur summer travel demand.
Summer travel bookings rose 214% from 2020 levels, the airline said, adding that it planned to fly 80% of its U.S. schedule compared to July 2019.
Ratings agency Moody's (NYSE:MCO) has predicted that steady vaccine rollouts across geographies would drive a rebound in commercial air travel, with a strong recovery in U.S. domestic travel, which began in March, to spread globally over different time-frames.
The European Union has recommended easing COVID-19 travel restrictions next month to let foreign travelers from more countries enter the bloc.
United said it was giving travelers more options to visit Europe by adding a fourth weekly flight to Dubrovnik, Croatia as well as more seats to Athens, Greece.
The U.S. carrier has teamed up with Clorox (NYSE:CLX) and Cleveland Clinic for cleaning and health safety procedures.