The Lufthansa Group has announced its airlines will continue flights to Chicago, New York and Washington, DC, despite the United States’ EU travel ban.
Crucially, the ban doesn’t apply to US citizens, permanent residents and their families, allowing journeys to still go ahead.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced that visitors who have been in any of the 26 countries within the Schengen border-free travel area within 14 days of their travel to the US will be denied entry as of midnight, 13 March.
The Lufthansa Group said in a statement, “Despite the new travel guidelines ordered by the US administration on passengers from the European Union, Switzerland and other countries, Lufthansa Group Airlines will continue to offer flights to the USA from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium.
“The Lufthansa Group will continue operating flights from Frankfurt to Chicago and Newark (New York), from Zurich to Chicago and Newark (New York), from Vienna to Chicago, and from Brussels to Washington beyond March 14, thus maintaining at least some air traffic connections to the USA from Europe.”
The airline will be working with partner United Airlines to help ensure connectivity to other locations in the US.
The group has already announced it will likely halve capacity in March, and cancel 23,000 flights in April.
“In addition, all other US flights will be suspended until further notice due to US administration restrictions, including all departures from Munich, Düsseldorf and Geneva. The Lufthansa Group will continue to serve all destinations in Canada until further notice,” the statement continued.
It added that it is currently evaluating its flight program to India after the country suspended all tourist visas and e-visas granted on or before 11 March.
Customers are advised check their flight status on lufthansa.com, swiss.com, austrian.com or brusselsairlines.com.
