In the last few weeks, due to the increase of COVID-19 cases, unique and unusual repatriation flights have been carried out all over the world.
In this article, we will show you some of them.
EL AL Melbourne-Tel Aviv
EL AL is currently operating the longest flight in the airline’s history.
The airline is flying a Boeing 787-9, with registration 4X-EDK and flight LY085, from Tel Aviv, Israel to Melbourne, Australia. The flight is expected to have a duration of 17 hours and 40 minutes and will bring 180 Israelis back home.
EL AL B787 Repatriation Flights 
EL AL Tel Aviv to Perth and Melbourne
On March 24th EL AL arrived for the first time in Australia, flying a 787-9 from Perth to Tel Aviv carrying 230 citizens.
Austrian Airlines Vienna – Sydney
Last Saturday, Austrian Airlines operated the longest flight in the airline’s history from Vienna to Sydney. This historic non-stop flight of 16,000km and 17 flight hours was operated by a Boeing 777-200 (OE-LPD).
The return journey had on board 300 Austrian citizens and, because of this, had to make a stop at Penang International Airport in Malaysia. In Penang, they changed the crew, refuelled and picked up medical supplies such as gloves.
Austrian airlines has already temporarily ceased all regular operations, but has flown many repatriation flights including to Mexico City, Masa Alam, Denpasar and Washington D.C.
Wizz Air USA & Canada
Yesterday, two Wizz Air A321neos left Budapest to begin repatriation of Hungary citizens in Canada and the USA. Both aircraft made a fuel stop at Keflavik airport in Iceland, before arriving at their destinations.
An Airbus A321neo, with registration HA-LVE and flight number WZZ9021, went first to Toronto, Canada then onto Chicago and Miami, USA.
The other aircraft, registration HA-LVC and flight WZZ9011, went to New York, JFK and Los Angeles.
LOT Polish Airlines Sydney – Warsaw
LOT started the operation #LOTdoDomu and until March 27th over 37,000 individuals have been returned to Poland. So far 275 flights have been operated by the Polish national airline, with a total of 44 aircraft at all types.
One of these special flights was to Sydney, Australia. The flight was operated two days ago with a Boeing 787-9 (SP-LSG) and had a stop in Bangkok to pick more travellers.
On the same day, LOT performed a flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The flight was operated with the same type of aircraft as that used on the route to Australia and had a total flight time of 15 hours.
Swiss Zurich – Santiago
On March 27th Swiss operated their longest flight ever. This flight, between Zurich and Santiago, Chile, was operated with a Boeing 777-300ER, registration HB-JNJ and a flight time of 14 hours.
With this special flight, Swiss transported back home 254 passengers.
Lufthansa Frankfurt – Auckland
On March 25th Lufthansa operated a flight from Frankfurt, Germany to Auckland, New Zealand via Tokyo Haneda. The flight, LH9902 ,was operated by a 20-years-old Boeing 747-400 (D-ABVY).
The aircraft stayed on the ground for 2 hours in Tokyo, for refuelling, and arrived in Auckland at 06:17 on March 27th. Making a combined flight time of almost 21 hours.
“In cooperation with the Federal Government we want to enable German citizens who are stranded abroad to return home”
Lufthansa Website
Lufthansa operated other repatriation flight destinations including Windhoek (Namibia), Delhi (India), Manila (Philippines) and several more.
Wamos Air Frankfurt – Honolulu
One week ago, a Boeing 747-400 (EC-MQK) from Wamos Air arrived in Frankfurt from Honolulu, Hawaii. The flight covered an approximately 12,000km flight route in 15 hours.
It carried European passengers from the cruise ship Norwegian Jewel, that had finally been allowed to dock in Hawaii, after weeks of sailing around the Pacific.
Air Serbia Belgrade – Los Angeles
Last week, the US Embassy in Serbia coordinated a charter flight, from Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade, Serbia to Los Angeles, USA.
Air Serbia offered this flight at no charge. There were however limitations, like a maximum weight luggage of 15 kilograms and pets were not allowed.
“Flight seats will be prioritised for US citizens and their eligible family members (including those with identified health concerns), Legal Permanent Residents of the United States and then others, as seats may become available” – US Embassy in Serbia.
Bamboo Airways Bangkok – Kaunas
Yesterday, Bamboo Airways performed their second European flight to Kaunas, Lithuania.
The flight was operated by a Boeing 787-9 (VN-A819) and had a 10 hour flight time, it took off from Bangkok with 220 passengers on board. On the return journey to Hanoi, Vietnam the flight was empty.
Nepal Airlines Kathmandu to Brisbane
The Australian Government chartered a Nepal Airlines A330-200 to fly stranded Australian and New Zealand citizens back home. This is the first time Nepal Airlines flying to Australia via Kuala Lumpur.
Nepal Airlines charter flight to Australia. Photo Twitter 
Nepal Airlines charter flight to Australia
Photo Twitter
Condor Perth to Germany via Phuket
Hundreds of cruise ship passengers onboard The Artania were flying to Germany on Sunday March 29, after spending days stranded at sea off the West Australian coast in a stand-off with the authorities.
4 Condor Boeing 767s is taking the 800 tourist flying via Phuket back to Germany.
It is August 2020, you think these repatriation flights will die down. NO, Air India is operating a few DEL-YVR flights, 2-3 return trips per week with B773 for the whole month of August..
LOT Polish Airlines had a repatriation flights to Cebu and Manila as well, and Austrian Airlines, Air Europa, and Condor also. Air India had sent their A320neo to Manila from Chennai. Philippine Airlines sends their aircraft to Dhaka, Mumbai, Milan, Miami, and others for the repatriation as well
Air New Zealand is currently operating a repatriation charter flight carrying German citizens from Auckland via Vancouver to Frankfurt. Flight NZ1960, a Boeing 777-319(ER) – ZK-OKO.
Qantas and Virgin Australia will also bring people home from AKL/HKG/LAX/LHR. 16000 people still overseas.
Condor has several flights from SYD/MEL/BNE via HKT this weekend https://www.condor.com/eu/flight-preparation/travel-advice/latest-travel-updates.jsp and via YVR to FRA from Fidji doing a round the world.
Lufthansa via BKK to AKL with A380 https://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/travelling-home and NZ via YVR to FRA currently in the air.
Hi Sam,
KLM also started with some repartition flights as of yesterday. One of the first ones KLM 777 flying to Sydney for the first time in nearly 20 years. Please include this.
Also their first ever ever B787-10 flights from AMSTERDAM TO CURACAO. to repatriate Dutch citizens on the Island. The flight was operated by PH-BKC (Busy Lizzie) as KL129. Please include this info. Thank you.
KLM has just inaugurated a schedule of six AMS-KUL-SYD repatriation flights.
Im very proud of AirSerbia beacuse they have a330 which is only long haul aircraft in Balkan and it regulary fly BEG-JFK. Only long hsul route on Balkan!!
Sam like your content you need to fly AirSerbia!
Wamos Air also operated two flights from Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) to Honolulu (HNL) and to other destinations like Denpasar or Manila.
Iberia is repatriation its rescue flights with their Airbus A350-900
There was also a Lufthansa 747-8i here in ASU (Silvio Petirossi Intl. Airport) that flew directly from Frankfurt to Asunción to take German citizens. We don’t usually see planes that big, nowadays the biggest aircraft that operates regularly flight from here is the Air Europa’s 787.
There was also a Lufthansa 747-8i here in ASU (Silvio Petirossi Intl. Airport) that flew directly from Frankfurt to Asunción to take German citizens. We don’t usually see planes that big, nowadays the biggest aircraft that operates regularly flight from here is the Air Europa’s 787.
Edelweiss Air will fly Zurich-Phuket-Sydney tomorrow Friday and on Saturday same way back!
They even flew to Quito and Douala two days ago.
SAS – Scandinavian Airlines is also sending their brand new Airbus 350 from Copenhagen International (CPH) to Lima to fly home more than 200 stranded Danish citizens from Peru. This will be the longest non-stop flight in SAS history
You r not having full information….Air india has done 9 rescue flights till now!!… mention that also!!!
Pls provide more info on the unusual routing of Air India flights.
And also 1 condor
There are also repatration flights of several wamos air spain-manila, 1 austrian airlines manila-vienna, 1 lot polish airlines from manila and also several lufthansa from manila to frankfurt, if i am not mistaken
I’v notice most airline used Boeing plane except maybe 2 Airbus.Where are the so called XLR or ULR plane? Just asking
Interesting Obs. Quite a few airlines are using the A350 to carry cargo.
There’s also Condor flight from PER to Frankfurt via Phuket if I’m not mistaken to picked up German stranded cruise ship at Fremantle. It’s pretty unusual to see EU’s country rego flying around Australia let alone in Perth.
Looking at the first one – the EL AL to Sydney. I see where the route of flight took them down the Red Sea until past Yemen, but it appears it could have been a Great Circle Route (shortest route) after Yemen. Why the zigs and zags out in the middle of the Indian Ocean? And what are those ADIZ-looking areas depicted on the charts out in the middle of NOWHERE? Was EL AL looking for Malaysia 370?
First, it is not going to Sydney. Second, they do not have permission to fly over several arab countries airspace.
Oops, the EL AL was to Melbourne, and obviously it did NOT fly over ANY Arab airspace, as I stated.. My point was why the turns out in the middle of nowhere? What ARE those depicted areas on the chart? Anyone know?
Interesting article, here in Costa Rica European Flight were coming for weeks more and less to repatrior 2500 tourists that were here. Air France came with B777-300ER, Edelweiis with A340-300, Lufthansa with A340-
300, Condor with B767-300 and British Airways with B777-200. Besides that we have a special visit of El Al with its B787-9 coming from Houston for taking 180 Israeli’s in a direct flight with more the 15 hours.
Nice article but your forgot the Papeete – Paris flight TN-064 on march 14 🙂
This was not a repatriation flight. Just USA ban on EU.