Carriers scramble to accommodate US travel restrictions

The world was caught off-guard by Wednesday’s announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump that, in an attempt to keep out new cases of the novel coronavirus, the U.S. will ban entry of non-U.S. citizens and permanent residents who were present in the Schengen area of Europe within 14 days of attempted entry, beginning at midnight on Friday and lasting at least 30 days.

Alongside U.S. citizens, other world leaders were surprised by the sudden announcement.

“The European Union disapproves of the fact that the U.S. decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel said in a joint statement. The leaders stressed the importance of “cooperation rather than unilateral action” in organizing a successful response to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

Since the surprise announcement, airlines have scrambled to quickly adjust to the mandate within the roughly two days of lead time available, and early statements indicate widespread reductions in trans-Atlantic and intra-Europe flight schedules.

The impact on air cargo capacity is likely to be substantial, as major carriers —including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Air France and Lufthansa — are among those with substantial trans-Atlantic cargo operations that have announced plans to reduce flight schedules between the U.S. and Europe. Among these, neither U.S.-based carrier operates freighter aircraft, leaving all cargo to move in passenger aircraft bellyholds, and subsequently vulnerable to passenger travel bans.

The ban comes as a blow to combination carriers, but widespread reductions in passenger flights are also leading to a surge in interest for air cargo charters, as well as supporting ongoing scheduled freighter flights. Read more in today’s coverage from News Editor Chelsea Toczauer.