Coronavirus: Have the Brits stranded overseas obtained residence but?

Ian Presland and his spouse Marian arrived again within the UK to search out bunting, a bottle of milk, a lump of cheese and a few eggs by their entrance door.

Their mates had purchased them a welcome-back package deal after they lastly arrived residence from New Zealand, the place they’d been stranded resulting from coronavirus.

The couple had already had three flights cancelled and had ready themselves to be caught there for weeks.

However their journey agent was capable of get them last-minute seats on a flight overseas with Qatar Airways they usually obtained again to the UK on 1 April.

“It is bizarre nevertheless it’s nice to be again,” says Ian, 60, from Nailsea, Somerset.

“We now simply really feel for all these hundreds who’re much less lucky than us. We really feel very fortunate to be again right here.

“I believe we obtained away calmly as a result of we all know those who have paid some huge cash for seats in two or three weeks’ time.

“Presumably they may get residence now however we’re undecided.”

Final week, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps estimated about 300,000 UK travellers had been stranded overseas as a result of coronavirus pandemic.

On 30 March, the federal government introduced it had struck a cope with main airways to assist get individuals again.

It additionally pledged £75m to constitution particular flights from international locations the place business flights are unavailable.

To date, about 2,000 British nationals from seven international locations have been introduced again on flights organised by the International Workplace.

It isn’t free although – passengers must pay for a seat on a authorities chartered flight, and that has price individuals as much as £1,000.

Luke Wallwork and his girlfriend Chiara paid round £250 every for a spot on a authorities flight again from Peru.

The 23-year-old, from Liverpool, believes it was right down to the stress UK vacationers placed on the federal government that lastly made them take extra motion.

“The response we obtained within the first week was that you just’re type of by yourself and you are not going to get a lot assist right here,” he says.

“Because the momentum constructed and the stress constructed and Peru obtained talked about loads within the media they principally needed to give in a bit and see what they might do.

“It has been worrying nevertheless it’s attention-grabbing to see how issues work and the facility individuals have if they arrive collectively. If we did not come collectively and get our voices heard we might nonetheless be caught there.”

However how straightforward it’s to get again can rely upon the place you’re on the earth and the way a lot you’ll be able to afford.

It is estimated about 20,000 Brits are stranded in India after the nation went right into a strict lockdown.

The federal government introduced on Sunday it has organized constitution flights leaving from Goa, Mumbai and Delhi beginning on Thursday.

However that does not assist 73-year-old Amrik Bola, from Derby, who’s caught in a distant village in Punjab along with his spouse and sister-in-law.

They’re eight hours away from Delhi and may’t get on one of many authorities flights as they’re banned from travelling between states.

“In the event that they’ve organized these flights, why do not they give thought to the 15,000 individuals struck in Punjab? That is actually dangerous,” says Amrik.

“On daily basis we find yourself crying. We’re sitting three of us in a room. We do not know once we will get again.

“Our household is in England, our youngsters are in England. If we’re in England, we’re near our youngsters if one thing was to occur.

“What we fear about is that if one thing was to occur to us in India they would not be capable of come.”

Many Brits in India are counting on their family members within the UK to assist them get residence as a result of lack of web entry in distant locations.

Aman Sekha, from Walsall, has been attempting to get his dad and mom Bikramjit, 67, and Suriender, 65, again for over two weeks.

He says he is had sleepless nights over it and has questioned why the federal government is charging a lot for seats on its chartered flights.

“The flights usually would price £350, they’re charging us £600 and that is even when you will get a flight,” he says.

“Not solely is it double, however on high of that, they’ve solely been capable of organise a number of flights and apparently there’s hundreds of individuals over there.

“I am sorry I do not agree with something they’ve executed in the mean time and may’t perceive why it is the case.

“I do not perceive how they will go to the US and get individuals off a ship, but you’ve got obtained hundreds of individuals sitting and ready to pay for a ticket – though it is double the cash – to get out of there.”

The British Excessive Fee in India has mentioned it is working on arranging flights from other locations – together with Amritsar in Punjab – however there are not any confirmed dates but.

However not everybody stranded overseas is ready to depend on the federal government to placed on flights.

The International Workplace says it is solely arranging authorities flights from international locations the place business flights aren’t doable.

In New Zealand, about 10,000 Brits have registered with the Excessive Fee for assist getting residence.

Marie Younger, 54, from Beccles, Suffolk, spoke to the BBC about being stranded in Auckland greater than 10 days in the past.

She says she’s since been capable of ebook onto a business flight residence which is because of depart on Saturday.

However Marie nonetheless hasn’t acquired a refund for her authentic flight which was cancelled – so she’s needed to borrow £1,350 to pay for her new ticket.

“There is a responsibility of care with airways to get you residence if one thing occurs. They can not simply minimize and run and depart you,” she says.

“I believe the federal government must put stress on them. We’re not anticipating a free experience residence however we predict a refund from a cancelled flight.”

British travellers are being inspired to rearrange flights with airways which are flying from their location – then search refunds for his or her authentic flights with the airline or by way of their journey insurance coverage.

Talking on the authorities every day briefing on Monday, International Secretary Dominic Raab promised all was being executed to return these nonetheless caught overseas, with extra flights from India, South Africa, Nepal and the Philippines flying in later this week.

The International Workplace has since launched a cap on the price of a seat on its chartered flights based mostly on how lengthy the journey is.

A flight below six hours can be capped at £400 per individual, flights between six and ten hours capped at £600, and flights over 10 hours capped at £800.

A International Workplace spokeswoman mentioned: “The federal government has dedicated as much as £75m to assist hundreds of British individuals return residence.

“As a way to ship worth for cash and placed on as many flights as doable, anybody returning on a authorities constitution flight might want to contribute in direction of their ticket based mostly on the size of the journey.

“The quantity charged will mirror solely a proportion of the general price of the constitution flight, which is why now we have put aside the £75m fund.”

People who find themselves unable to afford journey prices and are struggling to get funds may be capable of apply for an emergency mortgage from the federal government.

Directions for UK travellers to return residence might be discovered on the federal government’s overseas journey recommendation web site web page.