UK citizens furious at GBP1,000 repatriation flights from Philippines while travellers in Peru paid just GBP250

UK citizens have criticised the government’s GBP75m repatriation programme as too little, too late and too expensive. British tourists seeking to fly home from the Philippines must pay £1,000 for a repatriation flight – four times more than travellers flown home from Peru. In normal times, connecting flights via Istanbul cost around £350 one way. The Foreign Office has organised two charter flights from the Filipino capital, Manila, to London Heathrow, to bring back holidaymakers stranded when the country banned international flights in response to the coronavirus crisis. They will use Philippine Airlines rather than any of the UK carriers that have agreed to repatriate British citizens. But some UK citizens say the price is too high. Paul Swords tweeted: “Cannot afford it, thank you and good night.” Before the GBP75m airline was announced, travellers from Peru were offered connecting flights from Cusco and Arequipa to Lima, together with nonstop flights on BA to Heathrow. They were not required to pay in advance and instead signed an agreement to repay GBP250 on arrival in the UK. The rate per mile from Lima to London was 4p. In contrast, travellers from Manila must pay 15p per mile.<br/>