By Kate Holton

LONDON (Reuters – Over a year, Bhavna Ptel watched her first grandchild develop via FaceTime. While she couldn’t travel to the United States due to restrictions on travel, she talked with him every day in New York.

As the United States lifted COVID-19 sanctions that had prevented most of the world entering the United States for nearly 20 months, she will be threatening to dance on Monday down the aisle of the British Airways flight that will transport her to him.

Already, she’s too excited to go to bed, counting down hours, minutes, days and seconds, so the world will be notified of her latest news. Kai, her grandson is coming soon. She also wishes to be able to put on a large hat.

“I wake up at night to wonder if we are really moving.” “I wake up in the night and think: are we really going?” she said to Reuters, bouncing her hands high in the air. He will be so amazing when I hold him.”

These unprecedented restrictions prevented relatives and workers from visiting their loved ones, going to weddings and saying farewell at funerals. They also made it difficult for them not to greet new babies.

Kushal Patel moved from Delhi to New York six years ago. His most recent return visit, which was in 2019, has been a blurred memory. His family was in New York when he FaceTimed him.

The hardest thing for his mom was not knowing the end date and being asked by well-meaning friends when her grandson would return.

She said “It is that question, it really takes out of you,” blinking back tears as she looked at photographs of New York family. It’s almost like knocking on a door and putting a nail in your heart. Now I know: “Look, I’m going!”

NEW YORK-BOUND

Patel will travel with her daughter Bindiya on BA001 to New York. This flight is the first New York-bound BA flight that leaves Heathrow.

British flag carrier marks the opening of Europe-to U.S. routes with first flights reserved for close friends and family members who were separated by the pandemic. Chris Floyd, the royal photographer was there to capture this moment.

European airline transatlantic routes are so important that BA and Virgin Atlantic hope to fly two aircraft down Heathrow’s twin runways in synchronised takeoffs, weather permitting.

Bindiya (BA001) will be carrying British Cadbury’s chocolate, which her brother missed. Kai wonders what Kai thinks when he first sees his family in 3D.

She said, “It’s really a pinch-me moment,” at their home where balloons continue to celebrate Kai’s October birthday.

Donald Trump, then President of the USA, imposed first restrictions on China-bound air travel in January 2020. They were extended to other countries later.

Bhavna said that she would think of the families all over the globe who are still waiting to be reunited. It will be too much, she fears.

She stated, “Counting days is not enough. Not days. It’s hour, minutes.” I want to see him. “Monday is too late. That’s what I feel.”