Long Lines Seen At DFW Airport As CDC Screens Arriving International Travelers
(CBSDFW.COM) - International travelers arrived at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to long lines as the Customs and Border Protection and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention perform "enhanced screening" measures due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
Those travelers from Europe and other impacted regions reported hours-long waits as they arrived to DFW Airport due to enhanced screenings and questionnaires about coronavirus.
In a statement Saturday, DFW Airport tweeted: "DFW is one of 13 U.S airports accepting flights from Europe and other impacted regions. We ask for your patience as CBP/CDC agents are conducting enhanced screening for passengers, which may cause additional delays. These measures are important for the health and safety of all."
The airport also said these procedures are "federally mandated" by the Department of Homeland Security.
One person said they were sent video by someone who was flying in from Pakistan and that they were asked a question about where they were coming from.
@DFWAirport wants is going on? I've been here for three hours pic.twitter.com/EGtQGssR91
— Ezequiel Contreras (@zzekecontre) March 14, 2020
Another traveler said he had been waiting three hours in line.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump announced a 30-day ban on travel from European countries in an attempt to contain and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as it continues to raise concerns. The travel restriction applies to most non-Americans who've been in the 26-nation Schengen area of Europe withing 14 days of traveling to the U.S. This began Saturday.
However, on Saturday, the president said that the ban would extend to the United Kingdom and Ireland. This extension will begin Monday at midnight.