After almost 15 months without flights between France and Algeria, Air Algérie will reopen its flight connection between Paris and Algiers on Tuesday 1 June. Currently, Algerians in France have to make do with two flights a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays. A partial reopening that frustrates members of the community, sometimes deprived of seeing their families for over a year and a half.
The spirits warm up. They are several hundred on the sidewalk, waiting for a hypothetical opening of the agency’s doors to book their tickets. Can not do it on the Internet.
“Me, I arrived at 5:30 this morning. There are people who have been there since yesterday. They spent there and there is no answer. I want to go back to Algeria. My wife and children are there. I’ve been stuck for 11 months. These are friends who host me ”.
A return that is worth an obstacle course, because Air Algérie, in a monopoly position, only offers few seats and the authorities before a PCR test of less than 36 hours and above all about five days quarantine on arrival, at a hotel in the hotel at the expense of passengers! A containment package that costs: “The ticket costs 598 euros, plus the 270 package, it is about 900 euros”.
On Monday, in front of the Paris agency Air Algeria, many are openly criticizing the Algerian government: “This is an example of negative PCR tests and mandatory containment. There is no logic. these are arbitrary decisions. There is no consideration for the people, no one! ”
Despite the anger generated by this partial reopening of flights, several Algerian doctors recall that, long after vaccination, the country owes its salvation to the drastic containment introduced since the pandemic began.
It is the only Air Algeria agency. He had to arrange. He knew from the government’s announcements that there would be a lot of traffic. There are people with disabilities, people who can barely stand
Testimony of an Algerian who came to buy a ticket without success
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