BARELY a week into his presidency, Donald Trump has thrown global travel into tumult with his executive order barring travellers from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States. A fellow Gulliver has posted about the potential long-term implications of the ban for the travel indusrty. But in the short run, one thing is already clear: President Trump’s action has sown chaos in American airports.
Clear to everyone but Mr Trump himself, that is. In a series of tweets, he denied that his action had caused any disruption at airports, instead blaming a Delta Air Lines computer glitch, protesters, and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer, whom he accused of producing “fake tears” in support of people denied entry to the country.
Only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning. Big problems at airports were caused by Delta computer outage,…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017
protesters and the tears of Senator Schumer. Secretary Kelly said that all is going well with very few problems. MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017
Delta did experience a systems error, as it and other airlines have done frequently in recent years. The problem caused more than 200 flights to be cancelled. But the trouble with Mr Trump’s claim is one of chronology: Delta’s issues came up on Sunday night. The chaos at the airports, from New York’s JFK to Los Angeles’ LAX, began on Saturday evening, after the president issued his order, and continued through Sunday. Delta says it resolved its problems later on Sunday evening and that the “vast majority” of its flights were operating on schedule by Monday morning. And yet the airport upheaval persists.
Mr Trump is correct that much of that upheaval is generated by ongoing protests. Taxi drivers in New York went on strike on Saturday night, refusing to pick up any passengers from JFK. Hartfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Delta’s main hub, urged travellers to arrive early—not because of Delta issues, but because of the planned protests. But then Mr Trump can’t absolve himself of any responsibility: the protests are in response to his action that has drawn broad condemnation around the globe and even from lawmakers in his own party.
Airlines have been sympathetic to ticketed passengers who find themselves barred from travelling to America. A wide array of carriers—including Delta, British Airways, Etihad, Emirates and Air Canada—pledged to refund customers affected by the ban. Others offered vaguer support: United told those caught out by the edict to contact its customer centre.
And as for the “tears of Senator Schumer”? He would surely be flattered to learn that his ocular emissions have the power to disrupt airports across the country. But Mr Trump would be more accurate in assigning responsibility if he turned his finger around and pointed it at himself.