EgyptAir will operate on Tuesday five flights to repatriate nationals from three Arab states, state run MENA agency reported, as the country continues to push with efforts to bring stranded Egyptians home amid the coronavirus crisis. The flagship airline will operate three flights from Abu Dhabi to Cairo International Airport, and two flights from Amman and Jeddah. An informed source at the civil aviation said medical checkups will be conducted on all returnees at Cairo Int'l Airport and Marsa Alam Airport. They will later be transferred to a 14 day quarantine. The special flights from Jordan and Saudi Arabia are set to land in Marsa Alam, a Red Sea resort selected by authorities as a 14 day hotel quarantine for repatriated Egyptians. The government is requiring returnees to sign before boarding their flights a written acknowledgement that they agree to be quarantined. The repatriated Egyptians mostly bear the cost of the hotel quarantine, estimated at a minimum of EGP 10,500 ($666.7), despite a previous decision by the state to cover the cost of the stay. The government is now only covering the cost of those staying at university hostels, mostly workers. Those willing to spend their quarantine period at designated hotels in Marsa Alam will have to pay for their stay. Egypt began repatriating its citizens in March, bringing back hundreds of its nationals stranded in various countries due to the pandemic. The country is keeping its airspace open to inbound charter flights and special flights to transport outbound passengers, and to cargo and domestic flights. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said last week that authorities are hoping to repatriate all nationals stuck abroad before the Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Fitr, which is set to begin on 23 May. Egypt has repatriated around 12,000 stranded Egyptians from different countries since late April, an aviation ministry source told Al-Ahram last week.
