First Flights Out of Egypt and Other Evacuation Questions and Answers

January 31, 2011 By in Americans Abroad, Evacuations, Foreign Service, Realities of the FS, U.S. Missions, US Embassy Egypt
It’s after 6 pm in Cairo right now.  We understand that the first flights carrying evacuees of US government dependents & non-emergency employees, as well as private U.S. citizens left Egypt for Larnaca, Cyprus around mid-day today.  Five other flights were filling up for various safe-haven posts. By mid-afternoon, another two flights left for Athens.  We expect this will be a very long day for embassy folks in Cairo, Nicosia, Istanbul and Athens.  And could go on for many, many more days.

An FS blogger (from a family of five) has last posted about the events in Cairo on January 25 and had an unrelated post on Jan 29 but we have not seen any new post since then. Cairo is one of the State Department’s largest posts. It is a fully accompanied post – that means there are spouses/partners and children of all ages.  We are most concerned for the youngest members of the FS in Cairo. This must be extremely unsettling, even traumatic for children.  We hope somebody at State has thought about moving additional mental health professionals into the safe haven areas to anticipate potential emotional fallout. We think there is one assigned in Cairo but we don’t know how that works and where he/she goes in an evacuation.  

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Meanwhile, the US Embassy has released a new Warden Message (#6) addressing Frequently Asked Questions on the evacuation of private American citizens.  Due to the internet blackout in Egypt, we are republishing it here. Feel free to pass it on. We understand that dial-up modems, ham radios and fax machines are currently used as modes of communications in and out of Egypt.

The U.S. Embassy in Cairo informs U.S. citizens in Egypt who wish to depart that the Department of State is making arrangements to provide transportation to safehaven locations in Europe.  This assistance will be provided on a reimbursable basis, as required by U.S. law.  U.S. citizens who travel on US government – arranged transport will be expected to make their own onward travel plans from the safehaven location.  Flights to evacuation points will begin departing Egypt on Monday, January 31.  There will be a limited number of seats available on evacuation flights on January 31.  Priority will be given to persons with medical emergencies or severe medical conditions.  Persons interested in departing Egypt via USG-chartered transportation should contact the US Department of State and Embassy Cairo by sending an email to EgyptEmergencyUSC@state.gov or by calling 1-202-501-4444.  Please provide the following information:

Name, age, place of birth, U.S. passport number and any special medical needs.

Immediate family members (spouses and children) who are not U.S. citizens must be documented for entry into the safehaven country and/or U.S., if that is your final destination. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

I’m ready to go.  What do I do?
Documented U.S. citizens may proceed to the HAJ Terminal 4 of the airport as of Monday, January 31, 11:00 am. 

My child is a U.S. citizen. Can my whole family be evacuated? 

A U.S. citizen child may be escorted by one adult, preferably a parent, who has appropriate travel documents.  If a family has more than one U.S. citizen child, the one-adult rule still applies.

Do I need a U.S. passport?

All U.S. citizen travelers and their spouses and children, are required to have valid travel documents.  The U.S. Embassy in Cairo will assist U.S. citizens with travel documents.  U.S. citizens who do not hold a valid U.S. passport or visa and are interested in departing Egypt via USG-chartered transportation should contact the US Department of State and Embassy Cairo by sending an email to EgyptEmergencyUSC@state.gov or by calling 1-202-501-4444.


What do I do if my child is a U.S. citizen, but hasn’t yet been documented?

Contact the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.  U.S. citizens who do not hold a valid U.S. passport or visa interested in departing Egypt via USG-chartered transportation should contact the U.S. Department of State and Embassy Cairo by sending an email to EgyptEmergencyUSC@state.gov or by calling 1-202-501-4444.

My family members aren’t U.S. citizens.  Can they travel with me?

The scheduled evacuation flights will transport U.S. citizens and their immediate family members.  Immediate family members – defined as spouses and children – who are not U.S. citizens will be required to have travel documentation that will permit their entry into the safe haven destinations.  At this time, flights are expected to travel to Istanbul, Turkey, Athens, Greece, and Nicosia, Cyprus.  Safe haven destinations may change.  U.S. citizens requesting evacuation will not be able to select their safe haven destinations.

Will you fly me to the United States? 
Our goal is to get people to a safe place, where they can make their own onward travel arrangements.  Travelers will be responsible for their own onward travel arrangements and accommodations in the safe haven city.  Consular officers will provide travelers with information on airlines and hotels.

What should I bring?

Travelers should bring valid travel documents and any necessary medications.Each traveler may bring one suitcase and a small personal carry-on item.U.S. citizens seeking evacuation should be prepared for a substantial wait at the airport.  Travelers are advised to bring food, water, diapers and other necessary toiletries with them to the airport.


What about my pets?
Evacuation flights will not be able to accommodate pets. 

Do I have to pay for the flight?
U.S. citizens requesting evacuation will be asked to sign paperwork promising to reimburse the U.S. Government for flight costs at a later date.  Exact flight costs are not yet available, but should be comparable to a one-way commercial flight from Egypt to the safe haven location.

How do I get to the airport?
At this time, public transport to include taxis is still operating in Egypt.

The original warden message is here.

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