Airlines extend waivers, adjust schedules for Europe travel ban
With a ban on travel from much of Europe to the United States going into effect Friday, airlines are outlining waivers and policies for affected travelers.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 30-day suspension of travel from 26 European countries to the United States in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The ban does not include the United Kingdom.
The travel ban only applies to foreign nationals, not American citizens, their immediate family members and legal permanent residents.
American citizens and US permanent residents will be allowed back into the US during this 30-day period.
Some US airlines are planning to fly much of their schedules between Europe and the US for a week to make sure customers can return to the US.
Travelers returning from impacted countries after the new restrictions are implemented on Friday must arrive through 13 US airports set up for enhanced screening.
“These passengers will be rerouted to one of the 13 airports by their airline at no cost to them,” Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf said in a statement.
Passengers will be “asked about their medical history, current condition, and asked for contact information for local health authorities,” according to a DHS announcement.
They will receive written coronavirus guidance and be allowed to proceed to their final destinations to quarantine at home, the announcement says.
These arriving travelers will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days, Vice President Mike Pence said on CNN’s New Day on Thursday.
The 13 airports currently set up for screening are:
> John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York
> Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Illinois
> San Francisco International Airport (SFO), California
> Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Washington
> Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Hawaii
> Los Angeles International Airport, (LAX), California
> Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Georgia
> Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD), Virginia
> Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), New Jersey
> Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Texas
> Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Michigan
> Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
> Miami International Airport (MIA)
Airline policies
The move had airlines scrambling to understand and adopt the measures.
United Airlines
“For those trying to get home from Europe, we have capped fares between the US and Europe,” United Airlines said in a news release, adding that the carrier’s regular schedule to Europe will continue through March 20.
After that, the airline expects to fly daily to Zurich, Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, Manchester and Edinburgh.
United also expects to maintain multiple flights to Frankfurt and Munich, and operate 18 daily flights to and from London, three to Dublin and less than daily service to Lisbon. The United Kingdom and Ireland are not affected by the new Europe restrictions.
United Airlines will waive change fees for any customer traveling domestically and internationally through April 30.
Customers can change their travel plans to a flight of equal or lesser value for up to 12 months from the original ticket issue, free of charge, a United Airlines spokesperson tells CNN.
American Airlines
American Airlines plans to operate flights from Dallas-Fort Worth, New York City (JFK) and Miami to Barcelona, Madrid and Paris through March 19 to ensure customers and employees can return home.
The carrier is suspending Europe flights from Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, and Philadelphia, and delaying the start of some seasonal routes to early May. Full details are posted online.
American will waive change fees for customers who purchased tickets prior to March 11 for travel to Europe, including the United Kingdom, through May 31.
American has posted questions and answers for travelers on its website.
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines announced a waiver for Europe to US flights Wednesday night.
“Delta has waived change fees for customers traveling to, from or through Europe and the U.K. through May 31,” the airline said in a post on its website.
Additional postings on Delta’s site on Thursday outlined trans-Atlantic schedule changes, including the suspension of seven routes after Friday, and the requirement that all returning travelers must come through airports approved by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for screening.
Air France
Air France flights to and from the US are operating normally on March 12 and 13, according to a posting on the carrier’s website.
The airline plans to continue service to Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York JFK, San Francisco and Washington-Dulles from March 14 to March 28. All of the airports are among those approved for health screening.
The airline is “awaiting clarification from US authorities” on whether service can continue to Miami, Boston and Houston.
Tickets issued before February 27, 2020, to or from the US between March 12 and May 31, 2020, can be postponed at no extra charge by May 31.
Air France passengers who want to cancel trips to the US will be issued a non-refundable travel voucher valid for one year.
KLM
KLM plans to operate as scheduled to the US through March 22, reducing the schedule from March 23-28.
KLM has extended a flexible, no-penalty change policy for tickets issued on or before March 31, 2020, and valid for travel between March 4 and May 31, regardless of the destination.
