All repatriation flights on hold KLM receives dispensation

“All repatriation flights have reportedly been put on hold,” said Danielle Veira, member of the National COVID19 Management Team (NC19MT), on Tuesday at the team’s press conference before adding that the decision was made in consultations with the airliners in response to the sudden drastic rise in the number of confirmed COVID19 cases. A repatriation flight was scheduled to arrive from Aruba and Curaçao on Wednesday. Veira explained that the focus of the officials and team is to get the COVID19 situation in Suriname under control. She also explained that the quarantine facilities that become vacant will be used for the people here in Suriname. If more people were to be brought from abroad on repatriation flights, there would not be enough room at the quarantine facilities. Veira pointed out that the people who were flown from the Netherlands to Suriname on a repatriation flight on Monday have already undergone their exit screening and that all of them are healthy. More than 400 Surinamese nationals were brought back in May from countries such as The Netherlands, Cuba, Brazil, Guyana and Curaçao. Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) announced that it has received permission to carry out adjusted flights from Amsterdam to Paramaribo once a week starting on June 6. Martijn ten Broecke, KLM’s country manager, explained that the company has received permission from the Surinamese government to fly even when there is a partial or full lockdown. The KLM plane will arrive with cargo from Amsterdam and leave Paramaribo with people and cargo. KL713 is scheduled to leave Amsterdam at 10:40 and arrive in Paramaribo at 15:00 on Friday. On Saturday KL714 will depart from Paramaribo at 18:00 and arrive in Amsterdam at 8:00. This flight will be carried out with a Boeing B777200. Passengers do not have to visit the Dutch embassy and can buy a ticket online at www. klm.com.sr, or via email at pbmreservations@klm.com or at the KLM office located at Hofstraat 1.