It was already Friday night in Maputo when it was announced that flights to Portugal would be suspended, but Orlando Marques rushed and still managed to get last minute tickets for himself and two daughters.
Today he caught the last flight to Lisbon to meet his wife before the suspension of flights between the two countries announced for 00:00 on Monday, as part of the closure of Europe’s doors to Southern Africa to prevent the entry of a new variant of the covid-19 virus.
For Orlando was an unexpected expense of 4,500 euros for three one-way tickets on TAP, something that “was not in the least in the plans”, but “it is an emergency situation”, in this case, of family reunion.
An expense with another aggravating factor: having a negative vaccine or test does not free anyone from a 14-day quarantine on arrival in Portugal, something that, even so, he sees as “a lesser evil”.
The greater evil would be “being away from the family” during the festive season, because after today’s flight it is not known when there will be more connections to Portugal, although the restrictions provide for exceptions, such as humanitarian or repatriation flights – but without details.
Orlando Marques leaves with his two daughters while on the same plane Carolina and Rui Alves arrive from Lisbon for 10 days of humanitarian work in Mozambique.
Only when they landed did they learn that flights will be suspended indefinitely, so now they’ll have to figure out how to travel back to Portugal.
“We were scheduled to return on the 6th, but now we don’t know,” said Carolina.
The measures are “the usual, it’s more of the same”, Rui exclaims, with Carolina adding that the measure doesn’t seem the most appropriate in a context where “people are vaccinated and tested” before travelling.
Opinions are divided.
Mário Marques was in Mozambique on business and on Friday night he ran to the computer to get tickets for today’s flight, because “from now on, one doesn’t know” how it will be.
“These are measures that are undoubtedly justified, given this new variant and the time of year when there is a lot of mobilisation of people. We need to prevent a more significant spread” of covid-19, he said.
Understanding even in view of the losses, because he had to cancel the meeting program he had in Mozambique and when he arrives in Portugal he will still have to adapt to a quarantine.
A little behind, at the entrance to the international terminal of Maputo airport, is Fernando Amaral, with companies in Mozambique and who had already been deprived of being in the country for several months due to the pandemic.
Now he has been forced to cancel meetings and return to Portugal early.
“I had a flight scheduled for the 4th, but I still managed to get this one at midnight”, bearing the cost of anticipation and learning from Lusa that he will have to serve a 14-day quarantine.
“I think this is a bit exaggerated, because if people are vaccinated, I think they may be a bit too cautious,” she said.
Catarina Luz was also unaware of the quarantine on arrival, a new measure announced on Friday night.
“If I’m forced to, I’ll have to do it. I have to see with my work how I’m going to do it,” she said on her way to the departure lounge.
A situation that seems to be more distressing for some Mozambican parents who say goodbye to their children, who will study in Portugal, and who also learn from Lusa that there is a 14-day quarantine to comply with upon arrival.
“It gets difficult. Classes have already started, there have already been exams, we are behind schedule”, due to the visa attribution process and adding another 14 days to the scenario is adding to uncertainties, complains Carla Bacar.
“I didn’t know about the quarantine and he never went to Portugal,” she laments, as she gives her son a last hug.
Oelza Machava, another student leaving for Portugal, calms her spirits: “I think the teachers will understand,” says the architecture student in Évora who is happy to be booked on the last flight before the suspension of connections.
“Knowing that from Monday they will close doors, I was happy” to still be able to get to Portugal, so that “staying in quarantine is the least” and believes that he will have help from colleagues in the logistics of confinement.
But a consensus does not exist.
“I believe that this is a little unreasonable, because it takes everyone by surprise. It would be easier to put a brigade there” testing everyone on arrival, suggests Luis Friães.
Next door, Dipak Govan learns from Lusa that flights are suspended as of Monday and he reacts with incredulity.
“Oh yeah? TAP should fly to Mozambique. We need them. The PALOPs [Portuguese-speaking African countries] need TAP,” he said.
Herman Garcia is in transit to Barcelona and questions the measures. “Sometimes there are hasty decisions, but it is an extraordinary situation and you have to be patient,” he concludes.
