Air Vanuatu has operated three repatriation flights since the ease of international restriction to repatriate over 5,000 nationals and residents who have been stranded in other countries due to covid lockdown.

The Vanuatu government's approval of the repatriation schedule started at the beginning of May.

The Air Vanuatu team has coordinated with the Ministry of Health and Foreign Affairs and relies on partners who manage the approved traveller lists for Australia, New Caledonia, Fiji and New Zealand.

The government partners managing the approval to travel are; the Vanuatu High Commissions in Wellington, Suva and Noumea and The Pacific Labour Scheme in Australia.

The Vanuatu Government gave Air Vanuatu approval for the repatriation schedule starting this month.

Returning flights earlier in April were only special flights approved by the Health Emergency Advisory Committee and the Ministry of Health.

As well as the three repatriation flights this month, there are a further 31 special repatriation flights available for returning citizens and residents until the end of June.

The airline offers flights for returning customers via the scheduled repatriation flights and also via dedicated charter flights for the RSE labour programme.

There have been 38 charter flights in the past six months. These have provided additional capacity for returning citizens and supports the nations labour mobility programs that are such a vital part of the economy for ni-Vanuatu families with the current Covid-19 situation.

The charter flights are organised by the labour mobility contracting companies and their travel agents, directly with the airlines charter team based in Port Vila.

All repatriation travellers currently overseas and waiting for return flights are reminded to first contact the Vanuatu High Commission in Wellington, Suva and Noumea and the Pacific Labour Facility in Australia to be registered for the flight.