JetBlue is to launch flights from New York to London on Thursday.

The airline is to make its first transatlantic flight from New York’s JFK airport to London Heathrow on Thursday evening. Flights from New York to London Gatwick will start from September 29. Chief executive Robin Hayes told the BBC there was “strong demand” for the route from New York to London and that demand within the US had returned to 2019 levels.

Tickets for inaugural flight sold out

Tickets for the inaugural flight have already sold out. Hayes said flight prices would be far lower than what rivals Virgin Atlantic and British Airways charge for business class. Hayes said JetBlue had wanted to offer a New York-to-London service for a long time and told the BBC the introduction of the route would have “a disruptive and permanent effect” on the market.

US-based travellers can fly into the UK without having to quarantine on arrival if they have been fully vaccinated but there is still a travel ban on people from the UK flying to the US. The White House has no current plans to lift Covid-19 travel restrictions for non-Americans.

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