A group of 150 Australian citizens and permanent residents will be onboard the LATAM Airways flight, which took off from the Chilean capital of Santiago on Monday.
It was organised by the agency, xTravel New Zealand, who notified those onboard via text that the Queensland Premier’s Office had given the green light to enter Brisbane just hours before new restrictions are set to come into effect.
Highlights:
- A repatriation flight of Australian citizens and permanent residents stranded in South America was granted permission to land in Brisbane only hours before new international arrival restrictions began.
- More than 400 people had shown interest in the repatriation flight, but only 150 people got a seat.
- Around 34,000 Australians have asked the Australian authorities to return home.
Daniel Jurado, a 35-year-old passenger who was stranded in Ecuador after visiting his family in April 2020, said he felt elation after reading the text.
"When I read the message I said ‘my God’, I cried with emotion. I was having dinner with my cousin, I hugged her, I was very anxious. I wasn't expecting it.”
But getting to this point was quite an ordeal, says xTravel director, Victoria Keating.
She began organising the flight of returnees in February to fly on April 4 from Santiago to Brisbane.
But when Chile closed its borders, passengers based outside that country could not enter to board the flight.
She said more than 400 people had shown interest in the repatriation flight, but only 150 people were allocated seats.
The passenger list includes Australian citizens and permanent residents who were stranded in Chile, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Ecuador and Argentina.
The email sent to passengers about the flight. Source: Daniel Jurado
They had to pay around AUD$4000 for the charter flight operated by LATAM Airways.
Following the first setback, the agency had to postpone the trip to May.
However, as Chile’s border closure was extended, they were told that June was the likely travel period.
Finally, they got another tentative date, July 14.
Ms Keating explained that of the five repatriation flights that were organised, this had been the most difficult due to border closures.
"We do not understand it here in Australia and New Zealand, because we do not see COVID, but in places like Chile, where 65 per cent of the population is vaccinated, they are about to come out of their lockdown now.
"The borders had been closed since the 4th of April ... It is still very difficult for a lot of people in South America to be able to move, travel and get out.”
Following recent outbreaks of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently that the number of commercial international arrivals allowed into Australia will be temporarily halved by July 14.
In order to touch down in Brisbane before the new restrictions are enforced, Ms Keating had to negotiate to advance the flight's arrival to July 13.
To do this, she said LATAM also had to adjust all its flights within South America so that the 150 passengers could arrive in Santiago from other countries and be there on time for the flight.
Negotiations with the Queensland government were no easy feat, she said.
Victoria Keating, director of xTravel. Source: xTravel
“[The authorities] understood that this flight had already had a fair share of issues and disturbances in trying to land into Australia, so they are aware that there are people who need to get home.
“They have facilitated the arrival of this flight and we are very pleased that it happened, but it has meant an awful lot of sleepless nights, not just for ourselves, and we are a small team of three, but for the 150 passengers and all of the friends and family who are desperatly waiting for them to come home to Australia.”
Mr Jurado is a permanent resident who built a new life in Sydney with his husband.
Daniel Jurado (R). Source: Daniel Jurado
He said what was intended to be a visit to family members in Ecuador for a few months, turned into a stay of one year and three months.
He suffers from anxiety and said the situation has taken a toll on his mental health.
“The most difficult thing for people who have anxiety like me is that you experience anxiety all day.
“You have your suitcase ready and something happens that cancels your trip ... and controlling anxiety is the most difficult thing, I have had to take medication and be separated from my partner, it is hard.”
The repatriation flight arrival comes amid debate and criticism about how some have been able to leave and enter Australia during the pandemic.
In early July, Western Australia’s Premier Mark McGowan claimed that “more than 100,000” people had travelled abroad “unnecessarily.”
He revealed that there were a significant number of people who left Australia multiple times, including over 1,300 who had left Western Australia on two separate overseas trips and 500 people who had been abroad three times.
Mr Jurado said this situation seems “very unfair”.
Daniel Jurado was stuck in Ecuador for a year and three months. Source: Daniel Jurado
"Put your hand on your heart, it is not easy, I know that this is done for security and the virus is not anyone's fault, but there are solutions, they must find a way."
He flew to Ecuador with LATAM and after numerous cancellations to return to Australia, he learned that there was a Facebook group of Australians stranded in South America, through which repatriation flights were being organised.
He requested a ticket to return home and luckily was placed on the list of 150.
Ms Keating explained that since the pandemic began, her small agency has focused on organising charter flights to get people back home, which she explains is the hardest thing she has ever done, with numerous sleepless nights and a lot of stress.
“We call these ANZAC flights. There is a part of me that cannot sit still watching what is happening. I can't make a vaccine but I can use the relationships I have with the airlines to help people get home, so that's what we do,” Ms Keating explained.
“I think they have to have more faith in the quarantine facilities. Cutting arrivals in half for the coming week is incredibly unfair. It is a virus and it will find a way to live.
“What we need to do is focus on speeding up vaccines and recognise that vaccination has to do its job. There are more than 40,000 people who are trying to go home and people will not be able to return home until 2022.”
