Travel agents scramble after US ban

Travel agents are scrambling to rebook New Zealanders flying to Europe through the United States after President Donald Trump imposed a 30-day travel ban.

Trump’s surprise move is another blow to the already embattled airline and travel sectors.

The US-Europe route is popular with thousands of Kiwis a year who typically fly Air New Zealand into cities such as Houston and Chicago, and on to European cities on its alliance partner, United Airlines.

Commercial director at House of Travel, Brent Thomas, said consultants were getting to grips with the news and contacting travellers now.

Although it was the low season, those hit by the flight ban could also need help rebooking their ground bookings.

“Unfortunately it’s a changing landscape day by day, hour by hour,” said Thomas, who is also president of the Travel Agents Association of NZ.

He said flying through the US to Europe wasn’t as popular as through Asia and the Middle East.

Air New Zealand should not be affected by Trump’s surprise move to suspend all travel between the US and

Europe for a month beginning Friday in a bid to combat the pandemic.

The airline flies non-stop from Los Angeles to London, a service that will stop at the end of October after 36 years. It has flown into Europe before with services to Frankfurt between 1987 and 2001.

Airlines are forecast to lose $180 billion in revenue this year, a figure likely to be conservative after Trump’s move that will rock airlines on both sides of the Atlantic.

Tourism Holdings, which has a large recreational vehicle operation in the US, says it is assessing the impact of the suspension. An update is expected to come today.