Trump’s H-1B fee sparks chaos on Emirates flight from San Francisco

Passengers on an Emirates flight from San Francisco to Dubai faced unexpected chaos on September 19 after news broke that US President Donald Trump had imposed a $100,000 application fee on the H-1B visa.

According to video footage reviewed by Bloomberg News, confusion in the cabin turned into commotion as travelers paced the aisles, checked their phones, and urged flight attendants to let them off the Airbus A380. The flight, EK226, was scheduled for a 15-hour journey to Dubai International Airport.

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Breaking protocol, the pilot addressed the situation over the loudspeaker. “Due to the current circumstances, obviously they are unprecedented for us here at Emirates, we are aware that a number of passengers do not wish to travel with us and that is perfectly fine. All we ask is that if you wish to offload yourself, you do so,” he said.


While passengers are not usually permitted to leave once cabin doors are closed, the unusual circumstances forced Emirates to allow flexibility.

Trump’s decision has unsettled many of the more than 70% of H-1B visa holders who are Indian nationals, most employed by Indian IT companies. The administration said the fee hike is aimed at strengthening legitimate applications and curbing misuse. However, the lack of clarity prompted large technology firms including Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet to caution their employees against foreign travel.

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Emirates, Dubai’s flagship carrier, operates 167 weekly flights to nine Indian cities. India is also the top destination for travelers from Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest transit hubs globally.

It remains unclear how many passengers chose to leave the plane. Flight-tracking site Flightradar24 reported that the aircraft eventually departed after a delay of three hours and 40 minutes.