Emirates, Etihad, Qatar to let barred passengers on U.S. flights

Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways said on Saturday they will allow passengers barred by President Donald Trump's executive order to board U.S.-bound flights after a federal judge blocked the move.

U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) has advised them they can board travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries and all refugees who had been banned under the order, the airlines said.

"Acceptance will naturally be subject to checks completed by U.S. authorities as existed prior to the issuance of the Executive Order on 27 January," an Etihad spokesman told Reuters in emailed comments.

Emirates and Qatar Airways spokeswomen confirmed the airlines were again accepting all passengers with valid travel documents.

Air France, Spain's Iberia and Germany's Lufthansa also followed suit after the federal judge's ruling, which the White House said it planned to appeal as soon as possible.

Trump's suspension on the entry of nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, and all refugees caught airlines off guard, with some carriers forced to re-roster flight crew in order to abide by the order.