Yikes: Europe Travel Ban Extends To London Monday Night, Domestic Restrictions May Be Coming - View from the Wing

The Trump administration's ban on non-U.S. residents entering the country if they have been in European Schengen Area countries, which went into effect overnight on Friday, will be extended to include the U.K. and Ireland at midnight on Monday night. The President also says he's "working with the states" and considering domestic travel restrictions as well.

While the announced reductions in service to Europe by United, by Delta, and by American all skewed towards retaining flights between the U.S. and London. United even planned to keep 3 daily Dublin flights.

Initially the administration's view was that a blanket ban on travel by Europeans to the U.S. was needed because there aren't border controls, for the most part, because European countries in the Schengen Area (and so they didn't believe targeting Italy, or perhaps Germany, Spain and France made sense) the U.K. and Ireland were spared because they're not participants in the common border that treaty created.

Trump also acknowledged that domestic travel restrictions are under consideration. Two days ago I reported that domestic travel restrictions on California and Washington State were under consideration. There are currently more confirmed coronavirus cases in New York than California.

When asked whether he was "considering other travel restrictions, perhaps domestically," President Donald Trump answered, "Specifically from certain areas, yes we are, and we're working with the states and we're considering other restrictions."

Finally, the President say that payouts to airlines, hotels, and cruise lines are coming:

"The airlines industry in particular, no different than after 9/11, has a very unique circumstances - the cruise industry, the hotel industry," he said. "I would say we've got a lot more work to do."

While bailouts for the airline industry make absolutely no sense, the case for hotels is even weaker since the major chains don't generally even own the hotel properties that carry their flags. Individual hotel operators will certainly suffer, but there's no systemic risk to the economy from that. Asking individuals who themselves are likely to be harmed by an economy slowdown to shell out to more prosperous hotel owners is loathesome.