West Norfolk travellers speak out on anxious time as flights in Covid-19 chaos

A dream vacation to New Zealand became bedevilled with anxiety and confusion due to the coronavirus for a West Norfolk couple.

Jeff Hoyle, who writes the Bar Man column for the Lynn News, arrived in Auckland with his wife Ros at the end of February.

However, the trip became increasingly overshadowed as cafés and attractions began to close.

New Zealand then went into complete lockdown last Wednesday (March 25), meaning their original flight was cancelled.

Having rescheduled a flight the following morning, the Hoyles arrived early at the airport only to be told Singapore nationals would only be allowed on the flight.

Mr Hoyle said: “From relief to anxiety, with the fleeting false hope of a BBC report that our Government had agreed a deal with Singapore for transit passengers.

“Whatever the headlines said, the airline could not confirm it and we stayed just long enough to wave off the almost empty plane before formulating a plan.”

The couple eventually returned home four days later than expected having been able to stay at a hotel for free, and rearranged a flight with Singapore Airlines.

Mr Hoyle added: “There are many at home and abroad who are or were in far worse positions than we were.

“If you are to be stuck anywhere, New Zealand is about the best place going.”

Adele Norris has been living in New Zealand but took to social media about moving home.

She said: “Still wishing we can ride this out in New Zealand. But things are changing everyday and if some form of repatriation flight for Brits is offered, we may now have no choice but to board it.”

The Government pledged up to £75 million in funding on Tuesday to bring UK travellers home.

This package was set up to enable special charter flights to fly to “priority countries”.

Virgin, Easyjet, Jet2 and Titan Airways all signed a “memorandum of understanding” with the Government this week.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “This is a worrying time for many British citizens travelling abroad.

“We’ve already worked with airlines and governments to enable hundreds of thousands to return home on commercial flights, and we will keep as many of those options open as possible.

“Where commercial flights are not possible, we will build on the earlier charter flights we organised back from China, Japan, Cuba, Ghana and Peru.”

North West Norfolk MP James Wild said: “Have helped constituents stuck in Bali and elsewhere to return, but still working with the Foreign Office to help people in Bolivia, Goa, New Zealand and other places. All airlines need to be part of this effort.”