On 11 March 2020, President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation which suspends the entry of most foreign nationals who have been in certain European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival in the United States.

We are working with our US colleagues at NBAA and the US authorities to better understand the detailed implications of the US travel ban. Below you will find the latest guidance received and links to additional information.

Since 13 March 2020, the entry into the US of all aliens, with certain exceptions, who have been physically present in the Schengen Area during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States, is suspended. Crew members and relatives of US citizens are exempt.

All flights carrying persons who have recently travelled from, or were otherwise present within, the following areas face landing restrictions. Department of Homeland Security passenger arrival protocols require screening at airports where enhanced public health services and protocols have been implemented.

• Schengen Region: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
• Peoples Republic of China – Excludes administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau
• Islamic Republic of Iran

Arrival Airports

Flights carrying passengers who recently visited a restricted country must land at one of the following airports where enhanced public health services and protocols have been implemented:

• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD)
• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)

A person is considered to have recently travelled from, or otherwise been present within a restricted country if that person departed from, or was otherwise present within, a listed country within 14 days of the date of the person’s entry or attempted entry into the United States. Crew and flights carrying only cargo (i.e., no passengers or non-crew) are excluded from the applicable measures set forth in this federal notice.

Anyone on layover should stay in their hotel rooms to the extent possible, limit their activities in public, and practice social distancing. Social distancing means avoiding crowded places, not going to mass gatherings and generally staying about 6 feet from others, when possible.

Traveling individuals should also pay attention to their health at all times and remain in communication with their employer’s occupational health program. If anyone develops a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, they should immediately self-isolate and be excluded from work on flights until cleared by public health authorities.

Crew members with high-risk exposures to COVID-19 may also need to be excluded from work until no longer at risk for becoming infectious. A person is considered high-risk if exposed to a sick household member or intimate partner, or providing care in a household to a person with a confirmed case of COVID-19. More information can be found in the Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO).

On 13 March, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a safety directive to reduce the risk of spread of the virus through flights to and from high-risk areas.

This is the first EU-wide operational measure to control the spread of COVID-19 in Europe.

The safety directive specifies measures to be taken for flights serving high-risk destinations. It mandates thorough disinfecting and cleaning of aircraft which operate from high-risk destinations after each flight.

EASA recommended that operators step up the frequency of cleaning, disinfect as a preventative measure on all routes, and ensure full disinfection of any aircraft which has carried a passenger who was suspected or confirmed as being infected with COVID-19. Airport operators should similarly disinfect terminals regularly.

EBAA will provide further updates as they become available.

• ICAO: Managing Communicable Disease in Aviation
• IATA: Air Transport & Communicable Diseases
• IATA: Suspected Communicable Disease Guidelines for Cabin Crew
• World Health Organization (WHO) Coronavirus Disease 2019 Website
• WHO Online Course: Emerging respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 – methods for detection, prevention, response and control
• WHO: Guide to Hygiene and Sanitation in Aviation
• EBAA Updates