The Airports Council International Europe (ACI) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for "all remaining COVID restrictions applying to intra-EU and Schengen area travel to be dropped, including all testing requirements, the need to present proof of vaccination, or complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF)," reads a statement.

ACI Europe is a trade group representing over 500 airports in 55 countries, covering over 90 percent of commercial air traffic in Europe. IATA represents 290 airlines in 120 countries and carries 83 percent of air traffic worldwide.

The two groups listed two main reasons for their proposal: the risk of hospitalization or death has been dramatically reduced because of herd immunity and many European states have lifted domestic COVID restrictions.

"As European countries open up and remove restrictions, it is only logical to remove similar restrictions from air transport," they stated.

ACI Europe and IATA also cited a recent study (pdf) to support their motion.

COVID-related travel restrictions will not prevent the spreading of the virus, only delay the peak for a very short period of time, the research conducted by OXERA and Edge Health says.

"Even if travel restrictions were pre-emptively introduced, or could be put in place on the day the variant is first imported, they would not have an impact on limiting the peak of cases, and would only delay the peak by a maximum of four days," the study says.