A South African citizen who was stranded in Italy due to the COVID-19 pandemic shares her repatriation experience with Travel News. Words by Erin Cusack.
At the start of May, over 3 000 South Africans had been repatriated from around the world. South African citizen, Amelia Bowers and her partner Kevin were two of these people.
After the airline cancelled their tickets and South Africa closed its borders, Amelia thought it wise to register their presence with the South African Embassy in Italy where they were stranded.
On April 9, they were contacted by the embassy and told of plans for a repatriation flight on April 13 which was later cancelled. “I cried all that night and half of Easter Sunday,” said Amelia.
After a second planned flight was scrapped due to difficulty with medical certificates, on April 16 Amelia received an e-ticket from SAA, and documentation allowing her and her partner to travel through the roadblocks in Italy to the airport in Rome.
On arrival at Leonardo de Vinci International Airport they were told by staff that the terminal they were looking for was a closed cargo terminal and that SAA did not fly to Rome – nonetheless a shuttle to take them to the terminal was arranged.
At the cargo terminal, Italian Health Department officials processed the couple along with the other South Africans and recorded their temperature. The flight, however, was delayed from 21h30 to 23h30.
Finally, Amelia said the group went through passport control and boarded the buses to go to the aircraft. Two-metre distancing was enforced in queues and the buses were only allowed to be half full.
“Our seating on the plane was in alternate rows with two seats between each person.”
She said the flight was further delayed, eventually taking off at around 02h45 as the sounds of Africa by Toto were played over the loudspeaker to much applause from the South Africans on board. “A very emotional moment,” said Amelia.
The passengers’ temperatures were taken several times during the flight and again by South African Health Department officials before disembarking.
Having made it home safely, Amelia offered her thanks to the South African Embassy staff in Rome, DIRCO, SAA, and the airport staff in South Africa and Rome.