Family with valid visas barred from flying to US from Cairo

Cairo - The family was informed that they could not board the EgyptAir flight because of the new regulation.

An Iraqi family was barred from flying from Cairo to New York Saturday after US President Donald Trump signed an order restricting arrivals from seven Muslim countries, airport officials said.
The husband, wife and two children, who had American visas and reserved seats on an EgyptAir flight, were informed that they could not board because of the new regulation, the officials said.
Trump on Friday signed a sweeping executive order to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough controls on travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
But an EgyptAir official said the airline had not yet been formally notified of the new regulations.
Also read: Will Pakistanis face visa ban? Here's what Donald Trump said
The family had been barred after a flight manifest was sent to New York's JFK airport, which responded with instructions that the Iraqi family was not to board.
The airline's website did not provide updated travel advice for the United States.
Qatar Airways, one of the largest Middle East airlines, said on its website that citizens of those seven countries could still travel to the United States if they had a permanent residence permit.
The Qatari travel alert said government officials and their immediate family members, as well as representatives of international organisations were exempt from the restrictions.
Also read: Trump bans refugees, 7 Muslim countries from entering US

• MENA