Etihad, Others Adjust to Trump Travel Ban

The ban on nationals of seven countries entering America has also had an impact on flight planning as well as the global operations of numerous carriers.

It may barely be 48 hours old, but the travel ban instituted by President Donald Trump is already posing major challenges to airlines as well as to the wider global travel industry. Many major carriers are struggling to grapple with the executive order, which sees citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries now unable to enter the United States. This ban on nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen entering the country also, of course, applies to flight crew.

Speaking to news agency Reuters, a spokesperson for Emirates said that the carrier has now completed “the necessary adjustments to our crewing, to comply with the latest requirements” and said that the airline is still operating to schedule. Emirates believes that the travel ban will have minimum impact on its operations.

Similarly, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has said that it has now “taken steps to ensure there will be no issues for flights departing over the coming weeks.”

German flag carrier Lufthansa believes that it is still too early to predict the full impact of the ban. However, Nicoley Baublies of UFO, the German cabin crew union, told Reuters that, “Lufthansa has always ensured it has very diverse crews, with staff of different nationalities and that means that we are for the first time in decades having to look at where people come from.”

But John Strickland, an independent aviation consultant, was much more candid in his views of exactly how President Trump’s travel ban will impact the industry. “I cannot think of anything comparable. This brings a mix of administrative confusion, impact and uncertainty for many travelers as well as practical operational headaches and complexities for airlines in planning their flight programs,” he said.

There is also considerable confusion as to how the ban applies to dual nationals, with various carriers offering differing advice. Etihad, Reuters reports, has told dual citizens that they may enter America on their non-banned passport. Meanwhile, according to an e-mail seen by Reuters, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has informed its members that the ban doesn’t pertain to dual nationals if they hold a passport that’s not on the banned list.

Confusingly, the Guardian reported on Saturday that, according to officials from the U.S. State Department, dual nationals were entirely banned from entering America. On Sunday, American officials said that green card holders need to confirm any restrictions with a U.S consulate prior to traveling.

IATA is currently working to clarify the specifics of the ban.

Baublies also commented on the ambiguity of the executive order, saying, “Trump reacts in 140 characters, we don’t know what it means – for people with the wrong entries in their passports or with dual nationality or married to someone from one of the countries affected, are they allowed to travel?”

In the wider sense, aviation expert Strickland has predicted that the ban could have a far-reaching impact on the airline industry. “Ultimately this could feed through to the role airlines play in the global economy in supporting business and tourism due to as yet-unquantifiable impacts on demand and cost,” he said.

In a similar vein, Baublies added, “We hope it doesn’t mean that seats are left empty because people don’t know where they can travel with which passport.”

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