An Emirates flight from San Francisco to Dubai, due to depart on Friday, September 19, 2025, was delayed by over three hours after panic erupted on board as the flight was preparing to depart. The flight, Emirates EK226, was being operated by an Airbus A380 with registration A6-EVP, which was due to depart at 17:05 local time.
As passenger took their seats on the aircraft for the 15-hour flight to the Middle East, news broke of President Trump’s executive order requiring skilled workers to pay $100,000 to obtain an H-1B visa. The announcement caused widespread panic on the plane as numerous passengers decided to voluntarily get off the plane rather than risk having to pay the sizable amount to get back into the US on their return
Many of the passengers traveling on EK226 were reported to be Indian nationals who reside in the US under the privileges of an H-1B visa, which is granted to skilled workers from overseas. 70% of H-1B visas are currently held by Indian nationals.
As reported by PYOK, many tech giants like Microsoft had already warned H-1B visa holders to delay travel outside the US and urged those abroad to return as quickly as possible. Therefore, as rumors that the $100,000 fine would be imposed imminently spread around the aircraft, people began to cancel their travel plans and to swiftly disembark the aircraft.
Once the unconfirmed details of the Trump administration’s new H-1B visa requirements started to circulate among those on board, chaos swept around the cabin. In the ensuing melee, large numbers of passengers began gathering their belongings and headed for the exits. Eventually, to try to calm the situation, the captain of flight EK226 made an announcement over the aircraft’s PA to address the panic –
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain speaking. Under 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. That is perfectly fine. All we ask is that if you wish to offload yourself, you do so…”
Passengers began to disembark
Concerned passengers soon started leaving the plane unhindered by the airline or ground crew. However, the process of offloading large numbers of passengers along with their baggage (which was already in the hold by this point) took quite some time. In the end, the flight eventually pushed back from the gate at 20:45 local time, some three hours and 40 minutes late.
With such a delayed departure, the remaining passengers on the flight were on board for more than eighteen and a half hours, although as a benefit, they had more space to enjoy the flight to the vast number of passengers who had offloaded themselves.
President Trump says he has introduced the $100,000 visa requirement over concerns that companies have been abusing the non-immigrant worker rules to replace American employees with cheaper workers from abroad.
This is especially applicable in the tech sector, the White House argues, with claims that some US businesses are deliberately laying off American employees to replace them with H-1B workers – often a cheaper and cost-effective solution. The area surrounding San Francisco is well known as the US’s most important tech hub, often referred to as Silicon Valley.
Initially, it was reported that the $100,000 payment would not only be required for new applicants but also existing H-1B visa holders if they attempt to return to the US from abroad. There were even rumors that the $100,000 payment would be required to be paid annually.
The White House has, however, dismissed both of these claims, asserting that the $100,000 fee only applies to new applicants on a one-time basis. Should this be the case, then the move almost certainly spells the end of the H-1B entry visa process as it currently stands.
In the meantime, those passengers who chose to offload themselves from EK226 on September 19, 2025, will no doubt be trying to rebook their Emirates flights, now that the situation has been clarified.
