Global Air Service Rebounds in Houston

HOUSTON, Sept. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Air France, Emirates, Qatar Airways and United Airlines join the ranks of nearly a dozen other air carriers that have restarted International service to Houston following the unprecedented COVID-19 travel decline.

The latest air carrier service restorations from Air France, Qatar Airways, and United Airlines on Sept. 2 mark Houston's significant rebound in connectivity to European, Middle Eastern and Latin American destinations. Nearly two-thirds of the airlines providing international service at George Bush Intercontinental airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby airport (HOU) have now been restored following a sharp decline of air service due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Texas, Houston has the most airlines providing service to Mexico. Some airlines — VivaAerobus and Volaris — are even adding new service to select destinations they had not previously served from Houston.

The following airlines have restarted their international services to and from Houston:

"We are an international city with an economy that thrives on global connectivity," City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said. "These significant steps in restoring air service will help Houston begin to recover from the economic challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. I can assure you that this meaningful and significant restoration of international air service is being matched with a strong emphasis on safety."

In March, the global aviation industry began experiencing a sharp decline in air service. At the height of the downturn in April, Houston experienced a 95% decline in air-traffic. Houston has seen steady growth despite travel bans and restrictions still in place for large markets.

"The growing network of international connectivity will continue to meet pent-up demand in Houston and the surrounding region," Houston Airports Aviation Director Mario Diaz said. "Our focus is to increase passenger traffic while continuing to protect the health and safety of passengers in our airports through our signature FlySafe Houston initiative. We are doing our part, and our airline partners are doing their part, so that travelers are safe at every step of the air travel experience."

With the recent international service expansion, the public once again can enjoy nonstop service from Houston to the following destinations:

The safety and health of passengers is a priority to Houston Airports and its airline partners. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Houston Airports has launched FlySafe Houston to protect our passengers as best we can. Additionally, passengers can learn more about what individual airlines are doing to keep passengers safe by finding their airline of choice here.

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About Houston Airports:
Houston Airports is the City of Houston's Department of Aviation. Comprised of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) and Ellington Airport (EFD) / Houston Spaceport, Houston Airports served nearly 60 million passengers in 2019.  Houston Airports form one of North America's largest public airport systems and position Houston as the international passenger and cargo gateway to the South Central United States and a primary gateway to Latin America.  Houston is proud to be the only city in the Western Hemisphere with two Skytrax rated 4-star airports.  Learn more at fly2houston.com.

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SOURCE Houston Airports