234 stranded Egyptians arrive in Marsa Alam from Thailand, Malaysia

CAIRO – 26 April 2020: A flight carrying 234 stranded Egyptians from Thailand and Malaysia landed in Marsa Alam International Airport on Sunday, and the passengers were transported to the hotel where they will be quarantined for 14 days.

The flight comes within the second batch of exceptional flights to bring home Egyptians stuck abroad because of COVID-19 outbreak, and aviation suspension. The Ministry of Civil Aviation, in coordination with the ministries of immigration and foreign affairs, is operating 22 flights from April 21 until May 5 for that purpose.

Sources at the Ministry of Civil Aviation told Egypt Today that a flight coming from Serbia's capital, Belgrade, through Athens landed in Marsa Alam International Airport on April 24 bringing back stranded Egyptians.

The flight operated by Air Cairo carried 70 passengers who are currently being quarantined for 14 days at a hotel.
The ministry resumed on April 21 exceptional flights to bring home Egyptians stuck abroad starting with Lebanon, of which, nine are landing in Marsa Alam, including flights that will take off on April 30 from Maldives, and Kenya-Ethiopia.

Egypt's journey of bringing home thousands of stranded citizens in time of coronavirus pandemic

CAIRO - 11 April 2020: Since the suspension of international aviation on March 19, Egypt operated exceptional flights to bring home thousands of stranded Egyptians. Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs Nabila Makram told TV host AmrAdib on Friday that stranded Egyptians are classified into categories that are citizens who have been on business trips and tourism trips, were visiting relatives, and students who had to leave the dorms and have nowhere to stay.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi noted last week that around 3,500 Egyptians are still stranded abroad over coronavirus, affirming that authorities are committed to bringing them back despite "hard circumstances."

Aviation suspension in Egypt began on March 19, excluding domestic and cargo flights from the suspension. Also, tourists who had arrived before the date were allowed to complete their program, and leave on the scheduled dates.

A number of tourists requested to remain in Egypt as COVID-19 outbreak took its toll on their countries. Hence, Egyptian authorities approved as long as they go through coronavirus tests, instructing the travel agencies to ensure the visitors' visas duration is extended by the Ministry of Interior, and informing their respective countries of their desire.