Miami airport will be first in Florida to get, screen European flights for coronavirus
Miami International Airport has been approved to accept flights coming from Europe and screen passengers for COVID-19 following the Trump Administration’s announcement of temporary travel restrictions.
It’s the first airport in Florida and the 13th in the country to be given the designation, according to MIA. The airport announced the new status Friday afternoon, only hours before the month-long travel restrictions was set to take effect at 11:59 p.m. Friday.
The restrictions, which affect flights coming from the 26 countries in Europe’s Schengen Area, will be extended to include the United Kingdom and Ireland starting at midnight Monday.
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence confirmed the decision during a news conference Saturday.
The updated travel restrictions:
▪ Require any U.S. citizen or permanent resident returning to the U.S. who has traveled to the United Kingdom, Ireland or one of the countries in Europe’s Schengen Area within the previous 14 days to fly into the U.S. through one of the approved airports.
▪ Ban foreigners who have traveled to one of the countries within the last 14 days to travel to the U.S. Exceptions include diplomats, children of U.S. citizens who are under 21, and spouses of U.S. citizens.
▪ Directs passengers to self-quarantine at their home for 14-days once they arrive to the U.S.
The countries that are in the Schengan Area are:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Miami airport spokesman Greg Chin says MIA expects to see “increased attention” on passengers during the 30-day travel restriction.
Chin says MIA currently has 117 weekly arrivals from 17 airports within the Schengen area, for an average of 16 arriving flights per day. Those 17 airports are Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Lisbon, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Oslo, Paris (CDG), Paris (Orly), Rome, Stockholm, Warsaw and Zurich.
Passengers who arrive on a European flight to MIA during this time will be “formally questioned” about their health by Homeland Security staff once they get off the plane, Chin said. The passengers will also receive written guidance about COVID-19. If the agents deem it necessary, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be called for further guidance.
If necessary, the passenger would then be taken to a nearby hospital for testing.
What about temperature tests?
On Saturday, a senior official with the Department of Homeland Security said passengers arriving on a flight from China, Iran, the Schengan area, the UK or Ireland will have their temperature taken at the designated airports on a case-by-case basis. The temperature check will be given to passengers who show “indications” of the virus. Officials will also select passengers at random to conduct the test.
While MIA’s approved designation allows them to receive flights from all of the countries in the Schengen area, Chin said they had not been notified about receiving any other flights than the ones they already serve.
Besides MIA, Airports Council International-North America says the other designated airports are:
▪ Atlanta: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
▪ Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
▪ Chicago: Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
▪ Dallas/Fort Worth: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
▪ Detroit: Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
▪ Honolulu: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
▪ Los Angeles: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
▪ New York City: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
▪ Newark, N.J.: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
▪ San Francisco: San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
▪ Seattle: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
▪ Washington, D.C.: Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD)
This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 3:40 PM.
