Air Chance Flight 378 To Detroit Metro Diverted Due To Ebola Restrictions

Yesterday's (May 20th) Air France Flight 378 from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport in Paris to Detroit Metro (DTW) in Romulus was diverted to Montreal Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) so a passenger from the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) could be removed.  The flight was banned from U.S. airspace.

A US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokesperson said that the passenger should not have been on the flight as the U.S. restricted travel from Congo, Uganda and South Sudan on May 18 due to a widening outbreak of Ebola in parts of Africa. The U.S. State Department issued a Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ advisories for the DRC, South Sudan and Uganda, and urged caution for neighboring regions:

https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/5888899-detroit-bound-flight-diverted-ebola-error/

Detroit-bound flight diverted over Ebola-linked restrictions
By Sarah Davis - May 21, 2026

A flight destined for Detroit was diverted to Montreal on Wednesday after a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) boarded the flight “in error,” according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The DRC passenger’s travel to the U.S. was restricted under a new travel ban from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during a growing Ebola outbreak in Africa.

The CDC’s Monday order applies to travelers who have been in Uganda, the DRC or South Sudan in the last three weeks — three nations that have been impacted by this virus. This restriction is in effect for 30 days.

“Due to entry restrictions put in place to reduce the risk of the Ebola virus, the passenger should not have boarded the plane,” a CBP spokesperson told The Hill in a statement on Thursday.

“CBP took decisive action and prohibited the flight carrying that traveler from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and instead, diverted to Montreal, Canada,” the spokesperson continued. “CBP, in coordination with CDC, is taking the necessary measures to protect public health and reduce the risk of Ebola disease introduction into the United States.”

An Air France spokesperson also confirmed that Flight 378 was diverted to Montreal “at the request of U.S. authorities” after its departure from Paris on Wednesday.

“There was no medical emergency on board,” they told The Hill. “The passenger was disembarked with his luggage, and the plane was able to depart for Detroit.”

“Like all airlines, Air France is required to comply with the entry requirements of the countries it serves,” the spokesperson added.

CBP and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced new travel restrictions, including enhanced screenings, on Thursday to flights carrying people who were in the

In a notice submitted to the Federal Register, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said that all flights carrying people who have traveled to these countries in the last three weeks will be required to land at Washington-Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

The notice explained that this is “where the U.S. government is focusing public health resources to implement enhanced public health measures.” The order went into effect on Thursday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern.”

WHO Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus said during a press conference last Tuesday that there have been 30 confirmed cases, over 500 suspected cases and 130 suspected deaths related to this virus.