An Air France flight bound for Detroit was forced to divert to Montreal, Canada, after US border authorities denied entry to a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) due to Ebola-related restrictions.
Flight 378 departed Paris on Wednesday 20 May and was en route to Detroit when US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discovered that a passenger from the DRC was on board. The US has implemented temporary measures denying entry to travellers who have been in the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan within the past 21 days, amid concerns over a new Ebola outbreak in central Africa.
A CBP spokesperson stated that Air France had boarded the passenger in error, and that the flight was prohibited from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. The plane was diverted to Montreal, where the passenger was assessed by a quarantine officer from the Public Health Agency of Canada, found to be asymptomatic, and subsequently flew back to Paris. The remaining passengers continued to Detroit on the same aircraft.
Air France confirmed that there was no medical emergency on board and that the diversion was made at the request of US authorities. The airline emphasised its compliance with entry requirements of the countries it serves.
