SAN FRANCISCO—On Tuesday, May 19, the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) announced in a press release that they would be resuming nonstop flights to certain European countries and Japan at the start of June. Since the United States’ nationwide travel restriction to Europe, SFO paused all flights to the continent for about one month.
The flights resuming will be to two cities: Zurich, Switzerland, and Munich, Germany. Swiss International Airlines will be operating one weekly flight to Zurich, beginning on June 1. German airline Deutsche Lufthansa will be operating three weekly flights to Munich on June 1 as well. Both airlines originally planned on operating one daily flight, according to SFO’s statement.
The airport indicates that flights to Japan, specifically Tokyo, will also resume on June 1. All Nippon Airways, Japan’s largest commercial airline, will begin operating three weekly flights to Tokyo, a change from their original one daily flight. According to the World Health Organization, Japan’s COVID-19 cases have been decreasing, going from over 700 new cases in one day on April 11, to 20 new cases in one day on May 19.
“Although these airlines are resuming limited service, all travel advisories, restrictions on entry, and arrival screening procedures remain in effect,” the SFO stated. The airport mentions that all American citizens, permanent residents, and their families who plan on travelling to certain European countries will be required to “submit to an enhanced entry screening and self-quarantine for 14 days once they reach their final destination.”
For more information on SFO’s health and safety policies regarding COVID-19, visit their website.
