What it's like to work a Wuhan evacuation flight
A number of countries, from the United States to the UK, have sent a variety of aircraft — from a Boeing 747 freighter, normally used to ferry consumer goods and other products, to the world's largest charter jet — to repatriate citizens stranded in Wuhan, China following the region's coronavirus crisis.
This weekend, it was Sri Lanka's turn, and the country tapped its flagship carrier's largest plane, a SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330, for the honor of bringing students home.
SriLankan's chairman, Ashok Pathirage, shared a statement on the carrier's Facebook page:
Our nation has always relied on our National Carrier during times of crisis, be it a tsunami or a terror attack. The board of directors and every employee of SriLankan Airlines are extremely proud of the selfless efforts of our 16 crew members who volunteered to fly into Wuhan, which is currently under a lockdown, going far beyond their call of duty.
The crew members were dressed head to toe in protective gear, including full-body suits, masks, eye protection and gloves.
Even the pilots appeared to be wearing the same protective get-up, likely throughout the flight.
After a 2.5-hour stop at the seldom-used Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), perhaps for additional passenger screening, the flight finally reached Colombo (CMB) around 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1. The aircraft, 4R-ALS, returned to service later that evening, with a scheduled passenger flight to Dammam, Saudi Arabia (DMM).
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8EbG4IBPCc/?igshid=1j7lcpj1uw2m1
SriLankan didn't share photos of the arrival, but it's possible that passengers and crew members alike were met with a disinfectant process similar to what the above travelers landing at Indonesia's Hang Nadim Airport (BTH) faced after their own ferry flight from Wuhan.
All photos courtesy of SriLankan Airlines.
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10X | Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
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Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel75,000 bonus milesAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X card is one of the best all-round travel credit cards ever launched. Not only is it offering a tremendous welcome bonus, but cardholders can earn tons of miles on everyday spending and receive a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus to boot. Its annual fee is $395, but cardholders can count on up to $300 in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One Travel each year and other valuable benefits like access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One’s own growing family of airport lounges.Pros
- Excellent welcome offer worth 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months.
- Up to $300 in annual travel statement credits toward bookings make through Capital One Travel.
- 10,000 bonus miles (worth $100 toward travel) each account anniversary.
Cons
- The $395 annual fee might be expensive for some, but this card’s benefits provide much more value than that.
- If you don’t travel frequently, this might not be the best card for you.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive up to $300 back annually as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Named editors' choice for "Best New Credit Card of 2021" by The Points Guy
- Earn 10 miles per dollar when you book on Turo, the world's largest car sharing marketplace, through May 16, 2023