Canadian airlines announce measures for customers affected by U.S. travel ban

Both Air Canada and WestJet announced that they have introduced temporary measures to waive change and cancellation fees for travellers who can no longer fly to the United States after President Trump’s recent executive order, reports Global News.

The measures come after President Trump’s executive order banned passport holders of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. A full refund will be issued for customers who have to cancel flights, while the only charge for a destination change will be payment of the difference in fare.

Under Trump’s new order, anyone holding a passport issued from Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Yemen and Syria are prohibited from entering or travelling to the United States for at least 90 days. WestJet also said that customers whose new itineraries are cheaper than their original ones would be issued with a travel bank credit.

Meanwhile, the Canadian federal government announced that Canadian citizens and permanent residents with roots in the seven countries affected can still cross the border, with the White House clarifying that permanent residents of Canada can enter the U.S. if they have a valid passport from one of the seven countries and a valid Canadian permanent resident card.