The Egyptian authorities have been working with US, UK, and French embassies on arranging the repatriation of foreign citizens stranded in Egypt.
Foreign nationals were stranded in the country following the suspension of all international flights from Egypt’s airports, as part of state efforts to control the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Air Cairo will operate a flight from Cairo International Airport to London’s Gatwick Airport next Sunday, said Sir Geoffrey Adams, the UK’s ambassador to Egypt, on Monday. Adams added that the planned flight will return home the last remaining British visitors to Egypt.
The US embassy in Cairo has arranged several flights for its citizens, in coordination with the Egyptian government and EgyptAir. The most recent of these was on 5 April, the embassy said, adding that there are no direct flights to the US scheduled. The embassy, however, continues to work with the Egyptian government and foreign embassies to identify or arrange options for US citizens who wish to depart Egypt.
The US embassy continues to collect information from US citizens, to estimate ongoing demand for flights from Egypt, the embassy added. It requested that US citizens in Egypt adhere to local quarantine and curfew measures, to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. The embassy also requested its citizens continue checking with other commercial airlines for upcoming flights that may be departing the country.
Air Cairo will operate a new flight between Cairo and French capital, Paris, next Wednesday, the French embassy in Cairo announced. It called on its citizens to reserve their flights if they need to depart Egypt.
For its part, Poland’s embassy in Cairo asked its citizens to book their seats on a Wednesday flight to France with Air Cairo Wednesday if they wish to depart Egypt. It added that it is coordinating with France’s embassy to Cairo which has highlighted it is making seats available to other European Union citizens.
The Polish embassy clarified that it is the individual’s responsibility to make the necessary arrangements for onward travel after arriving in France.
