When Minister Maas set up the "airlift" on Tuesday, I had been trying to get my daughter out of Colombia for three days, who works for an international organization there. Colombian President Iván Duque declared the emergency on Tuesday evening (local time).
All people over the age of 70 are only allowed to leave the house to go shopping, to the pharmacy or to the doctor. Schools and universities had previously been closed and a curfew was imposed at night. The number of corona cases is increasing exponentially and, according to John Hopkins University, is 93 at the hour (as of March 19, 7:03 a.m.). But one after the other.
My daughter has been working for an international aid organization since the end of January after completing her studies.
"I felt like I couldn't get out of here yesterday"
On 14 Marche.g. I received a message from her via WhatsApp, which signaled to me that the situation could change dramatically in the next few days: "Please check whether there are flights from Colombia to Germany."
She was in conflict between responsibility for the job and her team on the one hand and for herself on the other. Finally, the same day, she decided to leave the country.
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A day later, the next news, March 15, 2:03 pm: "Yesterday I felt I couldn't get out of here." With a neighbor who works as a stewardess at Lufthansa, we were looking for flights. At the time, direct flights from Bogota to Frankfurt still seemed to be possible without any problems. The prices fluctuated between 700 and 900 euros. We excluded a stopover in the USA.
My younger daughter, who traveled to Mexico a few days earlier, on March 12, as a federal volunteer via the Houston intermediate station in Texas and had to leave the country again a day later and fly back to Germany, strongly advised against this.
On March 15 the number of Corona cases was 22. My daughter took a plane to Bogota with a stopover in Medellin, capital of the Colombian mountain province of Antioquia. From there it should continue to Bogota.
While she was on the plane, the situation at the airport in the capital Bogotá apparently worsened. Thousands say they are trying to leave the country. At that moment we had not yet booked a flight to Germany. On Sunday evening, March 15, Lufthansa reported: "No more Lufthansa flights today and tomorrow."
Monday, March 16: The number of Corona cases in Colombia rises to 34. The country imposes an entry ban on foreigners, with the exception of diplomats and foreigners with a permanent residence permit.
Employee of the German embassy in Colombia advises "get out immediately"
The Federal Foreign Office calls on all Germans in Colombia to leave the country immediately. I get the following information from an employee of the German embassy in Colombia: "I advise your daughter: Get out immediately. Colombia has one advantage in addition to many disadvantages: you are early. That is why they have taken drastic measures: Nobody can enter the country. Therefore there will soon be no flights to Colombia. We therefore strongly advise all Germans to leave immediately. As soon as you have a ticket, you are entitled to return. The corona falls are increasing exponentially. "
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As for the disadvantages in Colombia, he says: "Medical care is nowhere near as good as in Germany and the risk of infection is high."
I am still booking a flight for Friday, March 20 from Bogota to Frankfurt on Monday, March 16, and will receive a confirmation immediately. Departure: 9:10 p.m. from Bogota. Arrival in Frankfurt eleven hours later. The strange thing: My credit card is not charged, there is no sales report.
“There are almost no machines flying to Colombia. We cannot help you "
On March 16 at 8:56 p.m. I know why: A message from Lufthansa to my daughter's cell phone: “Important note. Since we cannot reach you by phone, we ask you to call us back in connection with your booking above under the following number: 01800 518 3344. "About a dozen call attempts, always the same information:" This number is not assigned. ”Calls to the Lufthansa service number: always busy. At 22:14 the certainty: The flight Bogota to Frankfurt has been canceled.
Tuesday, March 17: Corona falls in Colombia to 54. The number of flights is drastically reduced. Try at a travel agency in my place of residence: "We are closed, since last week we have basically not booked anything. There are almost no machines flying to Colombia. We cannot help you. ”Second call to the embassy:“ We hear that people always get a plane. You have to keep trying. "
Shelves in the shops are swept clean
Perhaps the only option: a specialist for long-distance travel in Cologne. The expert explains: “You have to take a German airline. A foreign country may no longer be allowed to fly to Germany.
March 17th, 5:20 pm: My daughter got a flight from Bogota via Heathrow and Munich to Cologne. Cost: around 1,200 euros. Departure time:
Monday, March 23, 11:09 p.m. I send the tickets to my daughter. The answer: "My name is misspelled." At 5:54 p.m. I receive the confirmation email from the travel agency with the correct name.
Thursday, March 19: The number of corona cases in Colombia has risen to 93, deaths have not yet been reported. The national emergency applies until May 31. According to media reports, many people in Colombia fear that the poorest in the population in particular have been hit hard by the curfews and restrictions, and that they have no insurance for loss of earnings.
The shelves in the shops are as empty as in Germany, especially the rice is sold out, reports my daughter. Your flight in four days has not yet been canceled.
Security feels different
However, security feels different. As a precaution, she has been registered with the embassy in the crisis preparedness list. Frank Hartmann, crisis officer at the Federal Foreign Office, advises all Germans abroad in the Spiegel interview to register in the ELEFAND system (electronic entry of Germans abroad).
It remains exciting and there are still many questions: How big is the risk of infection on the return flight? Does my daughter need to be quarantined after her return?
The telephone network at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin is overloaded. In the waiting loop the warning: "We do not recommend any trips abroad that are not required." A telephone connection is not established. Next try at the German Embassy in Bogotá. On the answering machine, the irritating announcement: “More and more flight connections to Germany are being canceled, and some of them are being temporarily suspended.
Tourists are therefore advised to contact their airline as soon as possible to clarify when and how the return journey is possible. If necessary, take care of return flights from other companies. Until the return flight, permanent accommodation must be sought, as close as possible to the place of departure, since the freedom of movement within Colombia can be restricted, for example by local curfews. The offices are currently not occupied. "In urgent cases, except visa matters, please call our emergency service."
Now only hope helps.