US flight rules on China visits will pose new airline challenges

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued rules Sunday to implement new restrictions on Americans who have recently visited China to address the threat of the coronavirus. Airline officials said Sunday the new rules will mean they must now ask all US-bound passengers if they have visited mainland China. Airlines are expected to scrutinise passports of travellers, and warned the new rules could require passengers to arrive even earlier for US-bound flights. American Airlines said Sunday it encouraged US-bound passengers “to arrive at the airport three hours early as we expect this additional screening will lengthen the normal check-in process.” The US said Friday that for flights departing after 5 p.m. EST Sunday, it will bar entry to nearly all foreign visitors who have been in China within the last two weeks. The Trump administration is limiting flights from China and for Americans who have visited China within the last 14 days to eight major US airports for enhanced screening: New York’s JFK, Chicago’s O’Hare, San Francisco, Seattle-Tacoma, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Dulles in Washington, DC. Three more airports - Newark, Dallas/Fort Worth and Detroit - would be added on Monday, DHS announced on Sunday. The new rules do not impact cargo-only flights, DHS said. American Airlines temporarily halted all flights to mainland China on Friday, while Delta said Sunday its last flight had departed China before it planned resumption of flights in May. United is scheduled to continue China flights through Wednesday before halting flights through March 27.<br/>