International passenger airline Emirates on Wednesday said it was reducing five United States routes after President Donald Trump imposed restrictions on air travel from several Muslim-majority countries. Trump has made two attempts to ban refugees and citizens from Muslim-majority countries.
Flights to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando will decrease in May, while trips to Seattle and Boston would be reduced to single flight in June. The two flights to Los Angeles flights will reduce to once a day in July.
The carrier said the curbs had impacted demand for its services. “The recent actions taken by the US government relating to the issuance of entry visas, heightened security vetting and restrictions on electronic devices in aircraft cabins have had a direct impact on consumer interest and demand for air travel into the US,” an Emirates spokeswoman said.
While two courts have put a spanner in the president’s plans, flyers have still faced trouble entering the country. Restrictions on passengers carrying electronic devices larger than cellphones into aircraft cabins on flights from several Middle Eastern countries to the United States.
“This is a commercial decision in response to weakened travel demand to the US,” the spokesperson said.
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