A French man has documented his repatriation flight from Kolkata, India, to Frankfurt, Germany and then his 15-hour hitchhiking journey to his hometown in France during the COVID-19 pandemic.
David, who was travelling around India when the country went into lockdown, films his entrance onto the plane as he is greeted by the cabin crew wearing protective gear.
After landing in Frankfurt, the filmer records the deserted airport and shows the number of cancelled flights due to the pandemic before beginning on his hitchhiking.
David told Newsflare that he had to hitchhike 15 hours from Frankfurt to his hometown Valenciennes as all the trains were either cancelled or fully booked.
15 hours and 4 rides later, as the world traveling continues with a Macedonian, a German, a Bosnian and a Romanian driver with 3 trucks and 1 car respectively, he reaches his village nearby Valenciennes, France.
Whew.
The travel mayhem occurred on Tuesday (March 31).
Boarding of a repatriation flight by Europeans in India, because of the COVID-19 coronavirus situation
This is one of the videos I filmed, I have the whole process recorded, from the registration at the consulate to the arrival back home, through the flight by itself, anyone interested, just ask
Repatriation flight from India to Europe: planed taking off, the crowds applauds, relieved to leave the country to go back home
Special flight from Kolkata to Frankfurt, organized by European consulates for their citizens to flee India amid COVID-19 fears, such as the state of the hospital system, but as well racism that some have been facing lately for being white and hence seen by some as carrying the coronavirus
The busiest airport in Germany, with around 200.000 passengers a day usually, is now almost empty due to the pandemic, basically just getting repatriation flights nowadays
This is one of the videos I filmed, I have the whole process recorded, from the registration at the consulate to the arrival back home, through the flight by itself, anyone interested, just ask
travelling Bangladesh to India
hitchhike from Frankfurt 11am yesterday to valenciennes, France 2:30am today (15hours) no trains
After a repatriation flight from Kolkata (India) to Frankfort (Germany), a French national spent the night in town with his fellow citizen friend, who drops him the following day by a gas station on the highway, so he can hitchhike back home (most trains being canceled, remaining ones being full)
This is one of my many clips about that repatriation flight organized during the COVID-19 crisis
After being dropped nearby by his host in Frankfurt, a French national walks to a gas station to start hitchhiking home (450km to go)
This is one of my many clips about that repatriation flight organized during the COVID-19 crisis
A French national who got on a repatriation flight from India to Frankfurt because of the coronavirus situation, reaches a gas station where he plans to start hitchhiking to go back home, in Valenciennes, 450km away
This is one of my many clips about that repatriation flight organized during the COVID-19 crisis
A French national, who got on a repatriation flight from India to Frankfurt because of the coronavirus situation, hitchhikes to get home
First person helping him is a truck driver from Macedonia
After a good chat and contacts exchanged, plans to visit him in his country once the coronavirus crisis will be over
This is one of my many clips about that repatriation flight organized during the COVID-19 crisis
A French national who got on a repatriation flight from India to Frankfurt because of the coronavirus situation, pretends to reach home hitchhiking, and gets on a first ride after just 3 requests to drivers at the gas station
This is one of my many clips about that repatriation flight organized during the COVID-19 crisis
After getting on a repatriation flight from India to Frankfurt because of the coronavirus situation, a French national has 450 kilometers to reach home, hitchhiking as no train was available
Find a fourth and last ride with a truck driver from Romania, past midnight
This is one of my many clips about that repatriation flight organized during the COVID-19 crisis
After getting on a repatriation flight from India to Frankfurt because of the coronavirus situation, a French national has 450 kilometers to reach home, hitchhiking as no train was available
Third ride, a truck driver from Bosnia
This is one of my many clips about that repatriation flight organized during the COVID-19 crisis
After getting on a repatriation flight from Kolkata India to Frankfurt Germany because of the coronavirus situation, a French national had 450 kilometers to reach home, hitchhiking as no train was available
15 hours and 4 rides later (with a Macedonian, a German, a Bosnian and a Romanian, 3 trucks 1 car), he reaches his village nearby Valenciennes
This is one of my many clips about that repatriation flight organized during the COVID-19 crisis
