Confusion reigned at airports around the world Sunday over exactly which citizens from the 7 nations subject to president Donald Trump’s immigration ban are still permitted to fly to the US. Airlines at international hubs from Dubai to London Heathrow were grappling with the implications of 3 court rulings in the US Saturday and Sunday that have temporarily blocked the enforcement of parts of Trump’s executive order. In the hours after the presidential edict, many airports imposed blanket bans on US travel for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, with Amsterdam Schiphol turning away 7 people with valid visas, and Cairo denying boarding to migrants accompanied by UN officials. Throughout the US, security officials detained 109 people arriving from the 7 countries. <br/>
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The Zambian govt is studying the possibility of having a national airline and the ministry has prepared the necessary documents pertaining to its feasibility which are before Cabinet, says Transport and Communication minister Brian Mushimba. Mushimba said that the national airline undertaking was put on halt last year following the economic difficulties the country experienced due to external shocks such as low copper prices on the international market as well as unstable local currency and the general election. He said the economic indicators were now positive and stated that the ministry had finalised documentation in terms of what could be done on the planned national airline, saying it was still on schedule. <br/>
Airlines and charter flight operators are urging officials to revamp management of aircraft movements through "unhelpful" Thai airports. Affected parties are directing their ire towards so-called slot coordination, which they accuse of being inefficient, uncooperative and favouring THAI at times. The function of granting time slots for take-off and landing at big airports such as Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang has been carried out under the umbrella of THAI. "We often receive a 'no' when we ask for slots when we know that with a little cooperation, flexibility and understanding they could accommodate our requests," said an affected operator. For one business aviation operator, those denials for flight slots are estimated to cost some THB500m a year as flights are aborted or turned away. <br/>