US: Airlines ask govt not to put separated migrant children on flights

Four major US airlines have asked the federal government not to use their flights to transport migrant children who have been separated from their parents as part of the Trump administration’s policy on illegal immigration. American Airlines, United Continental and Frontier Airlines issued statements on Wednesday before US President Donald Trump backed down from the policy and signed an executive order to end the immediate separation of families detained at the US-Mexico border for entering the country illegally. “The family separation process that has been widely publicised is not at all aligned with the values of American Airlines - we bring families together, not apart,” the company said. United CEO Oscar Munoz said the policy that has led to family separations is “in deep conflict with our company’s values.” “We have contacted federal officials to inform them that they should not transport immigrant children on United aircraft who have been separated from their parents,” Munoz said. Frontier said in a Twitter post that it “prides itself on being a family airline and we will not knowingly allow our flights to be used to transport migrant children away from their families.”<br/>