A Clarecastle woman has spoken of her relief to be back on home soil after being quarantined in South America for two weeks because of the coronavirus.
Ciara Daly is among a number of Irish citizens repatriated from Peru today after weeks of uncertainty.
She was travelling throughout South America since November and had returned to Peru when the lockdown hit there, and was initially quoted €3,000 for a flight to get home.
She is one of 130 Irish citizens who have been brought home following diplomatic approval from Peruvian authorities and says it was touch and go until the end.
Meanwhile, a flight from Algeria is making a repatriation stop-off at Shannon Airport this evening to bring seven Irish citizens home.
The US-bound flight is bringing American citizens home from the capital Algiers and will continue to Washington after its stop off in Shannon.
Shannon Group Update Statement
Tuesday 24th March 2020: Shannon Group has confirmed that, as of this time and on a significantly reduced basis, Shannon Airport is continuing to facilitate flights to repatriate passengers and provide essential services.
Commenting on the COVID-19 situation, Mary Considine, CEO, Shannon Group said: “Shannon Airport is continuing to facilitate airline services for our passengers, cargo operators, and aviation businesses based at Shannon. In these unprecedented times, it is particularly important that we endeavour to keep our airport open to facilitate the transport of essential and emergency good, and as of this time we will continue to operate on a significantly reduced basis.
“The safety and well-being of our employees and customers remains our top priority and like other airports across the world, we have seen a major decline in demand for air travel in recent weeks.
“Throughout, our employees across all our Shannon Group companies have done tremendous work in extremely difficult circumstances to support and reassure anxious customers and for this we are most grateful. As Ireland and the world battle the virus, we would ask people to continue to follow public health advice to slow its spread, to stay safe and to look out for each other.”
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