#0007 REPATRIATION FLIGHTS

Air India A320 - Photo Credit: DNA India

Hello Again my Blogger Family. This took some time as I was out of ideas for writing this blog up. However, Now I have subject to write on so WHY? WAIT?

This will be sweet and simple blog. 

Every Government is providing repatriation flights for their citizen who stuck in foreign soil due to the COVID-19 travel ban. So let me give you more information about these flights, from how it works to why they cost so much? First question will of course, 

WHAT IS REPATRIATION FLIGHTS ?

          Repatriation flights are special charter flights organised by governments in order to bring citizens back to their country of origin. These flights are usually only available to citizens or permanent residents of the arrival country and are generally point-to-point flights - meaning passengers are responsible for any onward transportation upon arrival.

For Example, if the charterer flights lands in Mumbai, but you live in Surat, you will need to book a separate commercial flight from Mumbai to Surat if available, otherwise you are entitle to stay in institutional quarantine in Mumbai as per government's norms & then go back to our city. After arrival process is subject to change as per the situation and government's regulation about it. The U.K. recently operated its largest peacetime repatriation program ever when Thomas Cook abruptly ceased operations, leaving British Citizens stranded around the world.

India has also started its own mission for repatriation flight called 'VANDE BHARAT MISSION'. Nearly 80,000 citizens have returned through Vande Bharat flights alone. 

How Do I Book Repatriation Flights?

Booking process is different for every country.It will be totally different approach of booking a flight ticket.I will point out the default procedure which mostly the same for every country. These flights are being planned by government as per the demand from various countries. Usually every Government is asking their citizens to register themselves in local embassies or consulate general. After determining the demand they update the schedule of the flights. Instruction for booking will be given by the External Ministry & Civil Aviation Authority. Sometimes, you'll be contacted by them or airline directly to complete the process of booking. Passenger are being prioritized in order of vulnerability/ Most of the information will update by the Ministry of External Affairs of particular country.

Why Are Repatriation Flights So Expensive? 

There are many factors that could lead to these flights being more expensive than normal commercial flights during normal times of operation, one being that the airplane is most likely empty to pick up passengers. That means ultimately you will be paying round trip cost as operating costs need to be paid for both directions with passengers only travelling one-way. Other reasons are, as most of the government closed the borders and airports officially, it could be much more expensive for government to obtain landing rights and permission to fly in certain countries where commercial flights are currently ban.

Another factor will be like if they are flying to cities outside their usual network, like many government chartered repatriation flights, the airline will have to arrange the extra team of staff like ground crew, engineers, etc to serve the passengers. These expenses are then passed onto the travelling passengers. Some private airlines are only using their existing network to control their costs.Unfortunately, you would not be able to redeem miles to cover the cost of a government-chartered repatriation flight (or earn miles either). In addition, evacuees are responsible for getting themselves from the gateway city where the repatriation flight lands to their final destinations, adding to the overall cost. But for many citizens stuck abroad, they are eager to get home, no matter the price.

How Do I Get to the Airport if I'm in a Country Under Lock-down?

Many countries around the world are still under strict lock-down due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Some of these countries usually are very strict in term of violations. It will be difficult for them to reach the airports. Curfews and checkpoints are in place in several countries and local taxis may be unwilling or unable to transports passengers. It's best to check with the local Embassy or local authorities for instruction on how to get to the airport for such flights. In some cases embassies are facilitating the arrangements for the passengers to get to the airport from their city or areas. 

Should I Stay or Should I Go? 

Some of countries are now becoming the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, some question will come to the mind, whether or not it's best to just shelter in place where they are or return home. This question is highly personal and there isn't a definitive answers for every individual. Some things to consider are the availability and cost of lodging, any potential immigration issues with overstaying a visa, the availability of health care options should you get sick, and how comfortable you feel overall. If you have a strong support network locally, you may feel safer where you are and if you've only been abroad for a short time before getting stuck, you may feel like getting back home as soon as possible. So this question is mainly on your situation and personal. 

Here I conclude this blog and I hope you find it interesting and informative. 

Do support and kindly share it as much as possible.

Thank You.

Hasan H

Email:travellworld4u@gmail.com

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