Expats Now Being Repatriated From Myanmar As Medical Supplies Arrive

In spite of an overall incoming flight lockdown, Myanmar has been busy repatriating expats as well as receiving medical supplies from China.

Myanmar’s incoming flight ban began on March 30 and is due to be reviewed next Monday, but relief flights out of the country and incoming essential supply flights have been taking place on a regular basis. To date, some 800 Chinese expats stranded in Yangon have been repatriated to Guangzhou and Seoul via Myanmar Airlines International flights, with two more flights due to leave today and tomorrow as well as one heading for Kuala Lumpur. The airline’s commercial director told the media it’s cooperating with the Malaysian embassy to repatriate those stranded.

The flight to Kuala Lumpur will allow Singaporean and Australian expats and visitors to transfer to connecting flights to the home countries, with passengers required to pay for their tickets in advance. Payments will also cover specific operating requirements including one-way passenger loads and possible cargo carrying rates. In addition to outgoing passengers, the return flights can carry essential tools necessary for fighting the pandemic, although transportation of people back to Myanmar is now disallowed. I

n addition to the above repatriation flights, relief flights by Malaysian Airlines and Korean Air have been successful in returning a number of trapped expatriates to their home countries, with a Korean Air flight to Seoul now scheduled for April 10. Anti-virus equipment received to date from Guangzhou includes full European standard PPE suits, protective medical goggles, protective shoes, hand sanitiser, thermometers and other essential equipment for use in Myanmar's ongoing fight against the pandemic.