During the global Covid-19 lockdown, Air Charter Service was asked by a G7 Nation’s Foreign Office in Australia to fly a group of European nationals from two remote Pacific islands to Sydney so they could board a commercial flight back to Europe.
Repatriation from Remote Islands
During the global Covid-19 lockdown, Air Charter Service was asked by a G7 Nation’s Foreign Office in Australia to fly a group of European nationals from two remote Pacific islands to Sydney so they could board a commercial flight back to Europe.
OUR SOLUTION
Routes: Vanuatu > Tonga > Brisbane > Sydney and Rarotonga > Sydney
Aircraft: Boeing B737-300 and Boeing B787-900
This was a challenging charter to arrange, as Rarotonga, Vanuatu and Tonga are remote islands and a measles outbreak in the Pacific meant passengers had to pass a medical examination 72 hours before arrival. We worked tirelessly to secure permits for each location on the routes amidst strict lockdown restrictions, liaising closely with the local embassy and each country’s department of health and civil aviation authority.
Our team sourced a Boeing B737-300 and a Boeing B787-900 from two different operators to fly the group of 130 European nationals. Within 48 hours of receiving the initial inquiry, we had obtained all necessary permissions and received the go-ahead to proceed with the flights.
THE FINER DETAILS
Finishing touches: We flew 1 tonne of vital PPE equipment, including emergency tents, over to each nation on the positioning leg as a gesture of goodwill to assist with permits.