1K Egyptian expats repatriated on June 28-29 from Kuwait

CAIRO – 28 June 2020: The international airports of Cairo and Sohag are receiving on June 28-29 seven flights repatriating 1,070 Egyptian expats who were stuck in Kuwait over the COVID-19 outbreak.

The three flights landing in Sohag are operated by Kuwait Airways, Air Arabia, and Al- Jazeera Airways. Each is bringing home 145 Egyptians.

Nile Air is operating two flights to Cairo. Each is repatriating 145 citizens. The other two flights to the capital are operated by Kuwait Airways and Al-Jazeera Airways. The former is carrying 200 nationals, while the latter is bringing back 145 others.

Some 34, 274 stranded Egyptians were repatriated over the past 19 days to the various Egyptian governorates, according to a well-placed Kuwaiti source.

In statements to MENA on June 28, the source said during the period between June 10 and 28 some 15,046 Egyptians left to Cairo; 83 flights were organized to return 12,025 Egyptians to Sohag Governorate and 4, 276 were ferried to Assiut Governorate on board 29 flights, according to the source.

"Some 17 flights transferred 2,493 Egyptians to Alexandria and 434 others were repatriated to Luxor on board three flights," the source added.

The repatriation process came in light of the ongoing efforts to transfer Egyptians stuck in limbo overseas due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Manar stated that around 57,000 stranded Egyptians have been brought home on 315 exceptional flights operated by Egypt Air and Air Cairo since the suspension of international aviation on March 19.

The beginning was with citizens who were in temporary visits or stays. Later, the exceptional flights started bringing home expats who were terminated, particularly in the Gulf.

Paid quarantine in MarsaAlam hotels and free-of-charge quarantine in university dorms have been substituted with home self-isolation for 14 days. When passengers arrive at the airport, their body temperature is measured.

Additional reporting by MENA