CAIRO, Jan 29 (Aswat Masriya) – EgyptAir received a request to prevent U.S. immigration visa holders from seven countries from boarding flights to the U.S., an official at the Cairo-based carrier told Reuters. 

Hossam Hussein, who is responsible for EgyptAir's daily flight to New York, said that authorities in the US informed the Egyptian flag carrier airline of the new restrictions hours earlier, asking them to start implementing the ban.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump put a 90-day block on citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries namely Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia from entering the U.S. He said his administration needed time to develop more stringent screening procedures for refugees, immigrants and other visitors.

Five Iraqi passengers and one Yemeni were barred from boarding an EgyptAir flight from Cairo to New York, Reuters reported on Saturday. 

The six passengers were reportedly prevented from boarding EgyptAir Flight 985 at Cairo airport despite holding valid immigration visas.

Hussein added that green card holders from the seven countries would be allowed to board the flights, as would holders of diplomatic passports or government officials.