Air France Flight Diverted Over Ebola Travel Restrictions
Flight 378 from Paris to Detroit was rerouted to Montreal after U.S. authorities flagged a passenger who boarded "in error" under new entry restrictions linked to the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
Flight Diversion Incident
On Wednesday, Air France Flight 378, traveling from Paris to Detroit, was diverted to Montreal Trudeau International Airport at the request of U.S. authorities.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the flight was redirected because a passenger from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had boarded "in error." CBP stated the passenger did not meet updated U.S. entry restrictions related to the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. Air France confirmed there was no medical emergency on board the flight.
The flight landed in Montreal at 5:15 p.m. ET. A public health official in Montreal assessed the traveler, who was reported to be asymptomatic. The passenger disembarked in Montreal and subsequently flew back to Paris. The remaining passengers continued to Detroit on the same aircraft.
Passenger and Crew Accounts
Passenger Deborah Mistor reported that the captain informed passengers approximately four hours before the scheduled Detroit arrival that U.S. authorities were not permitting the plane to land in the United States. Mistor also noted that flight attendants wore face masks during the diversion.
U.S. Travel Restrictions
"Objective number one is to make sure that Ebola never reaches the United States." — Secretary of State Marco Rubio
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Monday a suspension of entry for non-U.S. passport holders who had traveled to the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous three weeks. The restriction does not apply to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a requirement that all U.S.-bound flights carrying foreign travelers who had been in those countries within the previous 21 days must land at Washington-Dulles International Airport for enhanced screening.
The U.S. State Department later extended this requirement, mandating that U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents returning from the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days must enter only through Washington Dulles International Airport. On Saturday, the CDC added Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as a second designated entry point for enhanced screening.
The enhanced screening includes:
- Exit screening in affected countries
- Airline illness reporting
- Post-arrival public health monitoring in the U.S.
Statements from Officials
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the flight diversion was to ensure Ebola does not reach the United States. He said:
"We had a flight last night headed to Detroit that was diverted because we have to protect the American people. So, objective number one is to make sure that Ebola never reaches the United States. Objective number two is do what we can to help the people of DRC and neighboring countries so it doesn't spread."
Ugandan Information Minister Chris Baryomunsi stated that the U.S. was "overreacting" by banning most travelers from Uganda, along with DRC and South Sudan.
Ebola Outbreak Context
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, for which no vaccine or specific treatment is available.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported:
- 51 confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC's northern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu
- Two confirmed cases in Kampala, Uganda
- A confirmed case in the east of the DRC's South Kivu province, hundreds of kilometers from the outbreak's epicenter
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported on Wednesday that there were nearly 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths. He assessed the risk of the outbreak spreading globally as low, but high for national and regional spread in DRC and Uganda. The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
The CDC confirmed that an American doctor working in DRC, identified as Peter Stafford, tested positive for Ebola and was transported to Germany for treatment. Six other U.S. citizens have been exposed.