Tired passengers wear masks, hurrying up flights from Europe to the US before the travel ban takes effect from midnight on March 13.

The 30-day travel ban was imposed by President Trump on citizens of 26 European countries, with the exception of Britain, Ireland and US citizens.

"It caused a great panic," said 20-year-old Anna Grace, an American student on her first trip to Europe. She had to change tickets to fly from Madrid airport, Spain, home, instead of continuing the journey to France. Grace's friends are less fortunate to not be able to change flights.

Although the US citizens were exempted, Grace and many others said they wanted to return home in case the ban was extended due to the Covid-19 situation in Europe.

"We are worried we will not be able to return home," said 29-year-old Jay Harrison, an American preparing to board a flight in Brussels, Belgium. "If it takes 30 more days and we get stuck, the situation will be very difficult, very expensive, very difficult to return to and difficult to stay."

Paola Mesa, 29, from Spain, flying from Barcelona to San Francisco, said she supports Trump's ban on Europe.

"That's what Spain should have done before," Mesa said. The number of deaths from nCoV in the country yesterday nearly doubled to 84 cases, the number of infected people increased to nearly 3,000 cases.

Trump said he had to act because the European Union (EU) did not take appropriate measures to stop the virus. Meanwhile, the EU rejected Trump's comment and criticized the US side for lack of consultation before making a decision.

Many people share this view.

"That's ridiculous. Why do we enforce the ban when the virus has arrived in the US?" Leo Mota, 24, who just landed from Los Angeles at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, Paris, said.

Miguel Paracuellos, a Spaniard working in the United States, also said that Trump is trying to make up for his failure to expand testing and screening patients in the United States.

"He is blaming an external enemy," in this case Europe, "Paracuellos said.

Jon Lindfors, an American tourist in Paris, is equally dissatisfied with Trump, who will run for re-election in November.

"Trump said this is not a medical crisis but it is, that this is not an economic war but it is. We do not believe what Trump says anymore," said Lindfors gay. harshly.

A member of Delta's flight crew said that Trump's ban had prevented the airline.

"It will be a big mess. We didn't expect anything like that. We don't have the details to know what this will do for us and our company," the person said.

At the deserted Fiumicino airport in Rome, an Italian tourist just returned from New York said that the United States will soon face the disruption that Europe is experiencing.

"In New York, only a few flights were canceled or delayed. They don't understand the situation," Giuseppe Riccio said. "The epidemic control measures have not been applied yet, the shops are still full of people."

Gregory and Ada Goldberg, a couple in San Francisco, manage to book flights from Barcelona, Spain to the US but do not receive much assistance at the airport.

"Our two-week vacation has become a nightmare," Ms Ada, 69, said.