German transport minister hopes Europe-U.S. air travel will resume soon

- The German government hopes air travel between Europe and United States will soon start returning to normal, the country's transport minister Andreas Scheuer said on Friday.

"We also need the other direction - that flying to the United States will be possible again," Scheuer told an aviation conference. "We should reach a 'new normal' in the coming weeks - that's what the German government is wishing for."

Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten Spohr told the same conference he hopes that Washington will also allow Europeans to enter the United Sates soon to help the airline's business.

The German government has agreed to allow vaccinated Americans to travel to Germany from the end of June.