On February 4, 2020, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) published in the Federal Register a “Notification of Arrival Restrictions Applicable to Flights Carrying Persons Who Have Recently Traveled From or Were Otherwise Present Within the People’s Republic of China.” The document announces the decision of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to direct all flights to the United States carrying persons who have recently traveled from, or were otherwise present within, the People’s Republic of China (China) to arrive at one of the United States airports where the United States Government is focusing public health resources to implement enhanced screening procedures. For purposes of this document, a person has recently traveled from China if that person has departed from, or was otherwise present within, China (excluding the special autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macau) within 14 days of the date of the person’s entry or attempted entry into the United States. Also, for purposes of this document, crew, and flights carrying only cargo (i.e., no passengers or non-crew), are excluded from the measures. The arrival restrictions began at 5 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 2, 2020; and will continue until cancelled or modified by the Secretary of DHS and notification is published in the Federal Register of such cancellation or modification.
The notification directs all operators of aircraft to ensure that all flights carrying persons who have recently traveled from, or were otherwise present within, China only land at one of the following airports:
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York;
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Illinois;
San Francisco International Airport (SFO), California;
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Washington;
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Hawaii;
Los Angeles International Airport, (LAX), California; or
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Georgia
