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Coronavirus Travel Ban on European Countries Will Ground More than Ninety Flights at Orlando International Airport

People wait in line at Orlando International Airport. Photo: Danielle Prieur
People wait in line at Orlando International Airport. Photo: Danielle Prieur

Orlando International Airport says more than ninety inbound flights could be grounded by new travel restrictions that go into effect at the end of the week.

Last night President Donald Trump said foreign nationals who have visited 26 countries in the so-called Schengen area of Europe in the past two weeks will be denied entry to the United States.

Some passengers at the Orlando International Airport had already changed their plans on Thursday.

Flights affected include Delta Air Lines, Icelandair, Lufthansa, and Norweigian Air to twenty six European countries.

Amy Zimmer and her husband planned a family vacation to Austria with their three kids. Even though they’re American, they cancelled their flight, just to be safe. 

“We couldn’t get a hold of American Airlines all night last night. My husband actually just went to talk to them here. And then the resort in Austria is going to just keep our money and then we’ll have to come back another time.”

[audio mp3="https://www.wmfe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/amy-zimmer.mp3"][/audio]

Jordan Arsenault, from New Brunswick Canada, says most of her cheerleading team canceled their trip to Disney World for cheerleading competition. But she couldn’t reschedule, so she came anyway. 

“But there have been teams that have pulled out. Actually, the team that I’m with had to cancel but we couldn’t get a refund. So most of the team is actually here.”

[audio mp3="https://www.wmfe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/jordan-final.mp3"][/audio]

Visitors who have been in Iran and China in the last 14 days are already banned from entering the United States. 

Dave and Barbara Padley, who were dropping off their grandson at the airport, say they’re still not nervous about him flying.

“We’re not too worried about it. We think the risk is very very low and he’s very healthy. We packed his wipes with him."

[audio mp3="https://www.wmfe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/dave-padley-.mp3"][/audio]

But Avery McKenzie who was waiting to go back home to Rochester, Minnesota, is not sure if he’ll be flying again soon.

“There’s cases there too so.  Scary, scary. I don’t know what to think.”

[audio mp3="https://www.wmfe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/avery-.mp3"][/audio]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends avoiding non-essential travel to the European countries listed in the travel restrictions, along with China, Iran, South Korea. You can find the list of those countries by clicking on this link.

Officials recommend people with underlying health conditions avoid cruises worldwide.  
If you'd like to listen to the story, click on the clips above.