You all keep having these delusions about cabotage and mention US maritime industry. You do know that cabotage, in the form of US port to US port transit, is illegal there? Within the US, all ships must be US-flagged and US-crewed, which is why your Alaska crushes begin and end in Vancouver, BC.

Cabotage, let alone cabotage performed by ME carriers ain't happin', period. Cabotage is a very jealously guarded by all nations, so it really would be precedent setting move by the US. I've been challenged in France and held by French Customs until the pax list, all UK and, hence Schengen holders, was reviewed and found to all be company, private citizens. We were a private operation, for hire, I'd have been impounded.

JB is a whole other story and quite believable as feed for EK. Which is likely why BOS is a new EK destination.

GF