Lanza began scrambling for alternatives, such as flying the cheese out of Heathrow or on a cargo plane, but congestion pricing quickly kicked in. “To give you an idea, the cost per kilo to ship our products would be higher than the cost of the products,” says Lanza. Ciano had the same experience. “There’s a lot of price gouging going on,” says the importer. “The rates are like 350% of what they were.”

To make matters worse, the flight ban comes on top of plunging cheese orders from restaurants as Americans drastically curtail dining out.

“The situation is unprecedented,” says Bob Stonebrook of Aniata Cheese Company, a Southern California-based importer and distributor of fine cheese. Aniata’s European partners are trying to find transport for the perishable cheeses that U.S. shops have ordered, but whatever they arrange will be costly, says Stonebrook.

Ciano is hopeful that the U.S. government will quickly address the flight ban’s collateral damage. In the meantime, Lanza will likely be forced into shipping harder cheeses by boat. As for more fragile cheeses, “we can find alternatives,” says Lanza, “but the cost is going to be outrageous.”

UPDATE (March 16): From Stephanie Ciano: “The situation changes hour by hour. We are working with our freight consolidators to be able to get the freight out. We are going to get our Guffanti shipment and Alta Langa [La Tur and others]. Pomella mozzarella shipments are blocked through mid-April. French and Swiss air shipments are completely blocked. All flights by United Airlines and Air France are canceled between France and the U.S. American Airlines has canceled 75% of its flights and not allowed any cargo. Passengers and their belongings are the priority. Unlikely to arrive: Epoisses Berthaut, Chaource, Munster AOP, Camembert and all fresh French cheeses; from Switzerland, no Moser Truffle, Moser Screamer or Petit Vaccarinus. Hopefully an avenue will open up, but things are looking bleak right now, particularly from France.”