JEDDAH: Forget the Trump travel ban: One Arab airline is wishing its US-bound customers “bon voyage.”
Royal Jordanian on Sunday posted a tweet offering promotional fares to New York, Chicago and Detroit, poking fun at the new president’s attempt to stop people from seven Muslim countries entering the US.
The online ad is titled “ban” — but has been doctored to read “bon voyage,” as the carrier looks to make light of Donald Trump’s executive order, which was neutered by the US courts.
The tweet — accompanied by the hashtags #DonaldTrump and #MuslimBan — advertises fares to the US starting at 638 Jordanian dinars ($900). Customers from Iraq and Sudan, two of the countries on Trump’s list, are invited to check the airline’s website for prices.
The light-hearted advertisement follows a judge’s temporary suspension of the travel ban — much to the anger of the US president.
Airline spokesman Basel Kilani said Monday that Royal Jordanian is offering discounts of up to 20 percent, the Associated Press reported.
Kilani said the airline blocked four passengers from boarding after Trump’s initial Jan. 29 ban, which he said was bad for business.
But like many other airlines, Royal Jordanian is now accepting passengers from the seven Muslim-majority countries provided they have a valid visa or green card.
It is not the first time the Jordanian airline has poked fun at Donald Trump’s policies.
A tweet in November, with the hashtag #USElections, read: “Just in case he wins… Travel to the US while you’re still allowed to!”
The airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by Arab News.
