The Dubai-based Emirates airline is reducing the number of flights it offers to the United States.
As a reason for the change, the carrier cited a drop in demand among consumers following "recent actions taken by the U.S. government," including a ban on carry-on electronics affecting flights from certain Middle Eastern and Northern African nations, as well as efforts by the Trump administration to block travelers from several predominantly Muslim countries.
Emirates didn't mention Pres. Trump in the announcement, presenting the reduction in service as a strictly economic decision based on where the airline's customers are traveling—i.e., not to the U.S., at least not at the level before Trump took office in January.
Emirates will continue to fly to the same 12 U.S. destinations as before: Boston, Chicago (O'Hare), Dallas/Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Los Angeles, New York (JFK), Newark, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. (Dulles).
But it's trimming the number of flights on routes between Dubai and Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando. The first cuts, affecting Fort Lauderdale, go into effect May 1, with the other cities following shortly thereafter.
