RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazilians who are abroad and need assistance to return to the country should fill out an online form provided by the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC).
According to ANAC, the consular assistance form will be the only means to register for the government to organize the repatriation procedures, as of Tuesday, April 14th. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, dozens of countries have decided to close their borders, imposing strict restrictions on commercial aviation.
“In recent weeks, there has been a fast advance in global restrictions, which include everything from banning foreigners from entering their countries to the complete shutdown of airspace, banning the operation of any commercial flight. The suspension of more than 95 percent of the international airline network means that transport by commercial airline companies is no longer able to meet the demand for passengers held up abroad, which has led the Foreign Ministry to organize charter flights,” reported ANAC in a statement.
The consular assistance form had already received 17,000 applications between March 22nd and April 13th. As a result, ANAC has been working with airlines to provide extra flights in locations with the largest number of passengers, in addition to liaising with authorities in other countries and supporting the adoption of other practices by aviation companies, such as endorsement of flight changes and coordinated flights.
According to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), so far over 12,500 people have been repatriated, out of a total of 16,000, according to a statement by Chancellor Ernesto Araújo.
ANAC advises passengers with purchased tickets to learn about their rights and duties, made available on the agency’s website, and, in the event of difficulties, to first seek the airline’s own service channels.
If passengers do not agree with the solution provided and consider that their rights have been violated, they may file a complaint through the website consumidor.gov.br, a platform where the services provided by airlines are monitored by ANAC collectively, to support the sector’s regulation and inspection.
Source: Agência Brasil