US Diverts Air France Flight 378 to Montreal After 1 Congolese Passenger Was Denied Entry
Updated
Updated · paddleyourownkanoo.com · May 20
US Diverts Air France Flight 378 to Montreal After 1 Congolese Passenger Was Denied Entry
14 articles · Updated · paddleyourownkanoo.com · May 20
Air France flight AF-378, carrying up to 312 passengers from Paris to Detroit, was blocked from U.S. airspace and diverted to Montreal after U.S. authorities said one Congolese passenger had been boarded in error.
CBP said the traveler should not have been on a U.S.-bound flight under new Ebola-related entry restrictions, and Air France said passengers from countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo may enter only through Washington Dulles.
The airline said there was no medical emergency on board; the diversion was a compliance issue tied to a CDC emergency order issued Monday.
That order bars most non-U.S. citizens who have been in the DRC, South Sudan or Uganda within 21 days, as officials try to prevent Ebola from entering the United States.
The restrictions follow a Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda and a May 17 case involving a U.S. doctor evacuated to Germany; WHO says no vaccine or specific treatment exists for that strain.
When a diverted flight lands, what happens to a passenger denied entry on public health grounds?
How did a passenger from a restricted country board a U.S.-bound flight, forcing an international diversion?
With no vaccine for this rare Ebola strain, are travel bans the most effective tool to prevent a global pandemic?
U.S. Travel Ban and Air France Flight Diversion: The 2026 Ebola Outbreak’s Impact on International Aviation and Public Health Policy
Overview
On May 20, 2026, Air France Flight 378 was diverted to Montreal after U.S. authorities denied entry to a passenger who had recently traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo. This action was not due to a medical emergency, but was required by new U.S. public health regulations. These measures included a 30-day travel ban for non-U.S. passport holders from the DRC, South Sudan, and Uganda, and mandatory screenings for travelers who had visited these countries within the last 21 days. The incident highlights how quickly changing health policies can impact international flights and require immediate airline compliance.