Message for U.S. Citizens

Location: Bujumbura, Burundi

Event:  Special U.S. Government humanitarian flight departure changed to April 20

The U.S. Government-organized special humanitarian flight is now scheduled to depart from Bujumbura on Monday, April 20. Cost of the flight expected to be approximately $1900 per adult, $1500 per child 2-12, and $200 per infant under two years of age.  Please note that we anticipate high demand for this flight. The U.S. Government cannot predict when another flight will become available. This flight does not stop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It will pick up passengers in other countries and fly to Washington, D.C.

While we hope to accommodate all interested travelers, seating is not guaranteed. To commit to occupying a seat, please follow the steps in last night’s message as soon as possible.

The Embassy strongly encourages American citizens in Burundi who wish to return to United States in the near future travel via these or other opportunities as soon as possible. Otherwise, they should be prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. It is unclear when Burundi’s international airport will resume normal operations, or when other flights may be scheduled. The Department of State cannot guarantee that there will be future flight options. If evacuation or charter flights later become available, they may be substantially more expensive than these special flights. If you hope to travel to the United States via a humanitarian flight, please be ready to travel on very short notice.

If an American citizen is destitute or otherwise unable to pay for this special humanitarian flight, they should contact  BujumburaC@state.gov to explore alternate payment methods.

Please note that the ticketing deadline for the April 18 Japanese-organized Rwandair Express special commercial flight detailed here and here passed on Sunday, April 12.  For those of you who may have already been in touch about this flight but not yet committed, or have not yet been in touch but are still interested, you may be able to get access to any remaining seats if you reach out to the points of contact immediately.

For those of you planning to pass through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia en route to the United States, please take into account the  following points from U.S. Embassy Addis’s COVID-19 page:

  • All air passengers arriving in Ethiopia as their final destination will be subject to a 14-day quarantine period at a designated hotel or quarantine center at their own expense.
  • All air passengers planning to transit through Addis Ababa must have onward tickets in hand upon arrival at Bole International Airport or they risk being placed in extended quarantine in a designated hotel at their own expense.
  • Transit passengers are also strongly advised to have their onward ticket be for a same-day connecting flight. Bole International Airport authorities are not allowing passengers to stay overnight in the airport. Transit passengers who do not have same-day connecting flights will be required to spend the night in a designated hotel at their own expense.

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