Six US airlines outwardly refuse to carry separated migrant children

Six US-based airlines have refused to carry children separated from their parents as part of Trump’s recent “zero tolerance” immigration policy.

 

This week, six US-based carriers said they would not transport children who had been separated from their detained parents by US authorities.

 

American Airlines, United Airlines, Alaskan Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines all issued statements asking the Trump administration not to use their flights to carry children who were separated from their parents by immigration authorities.

 

American Airlines “We have no desire to be associated with separating families, or worse, to profit from it.”

 

United Airlines “This policy and its impact on thousands of children is in deep conflict with that mission and we want no part of it.”

 

Alaska Airlines “At Alaska Airlines, our values guide us to do the right thing. Alaska Airlines does not support the recent immigration policy that separated immigrant children from their families. To our knowledge, we haven’t transported any immigrant children who have been separated from their families, and today informed the government that we do not want to do so.”

 

Responding to widespread criticism of family separation, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Affording Congress an Opportunity to Address Family Separation.” The Order instructs the Department of Homeland Security to maintain custody of parents and children jointly, “to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations.”

 

Since the Executive Order was issued, there has been confusion surrounding the new policy.

 

Southwest Airlines “We do not wish to have involvement in the process of separating children from their parents. Therefore, we appeal to anyone making those types of travel decisions not to utilize Southwest Airlines.”

 

Frontier Airlines “Frontier prides itself on being a family airline and we will not knowingly allow our flights to be used to transport migrant children away from their families. At this time, we are not aware if Frontier has been used for this purpose.”

 

Spirit Airlines “We will not knowingly participate in transporting immigrant children away from their parents and families.”

 

Many airlines did not comment on the issue including JetBlue and Allegiant Air who both fly to Latin America.

 

Delta Air Lines responded only to the signing of the Executive Order saying: “We applaud the Administration’s Executive Order resolving the issue of separating children from their families at the US border.”