A repatriation flight for Tongans who have been stranded in Fiji, is now scheduled to arrive in Tonga on Saturday, with up to 60 passengers.

The repatriation will be the first since Tonga's borders closed to incoming passenger flights on 23 March.

The flight has 60 seats, but the numbers arriving have not been confirmed. Tonga's CEO for the Ministry of Health, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola said they would include eight senior doctors (postgraduate and masters students) and 15 nurses who were studying in Fiji. Two foreign doctors who married Tongans, would also be among them.


The Fijian Airlines ATR7 flight was originally planned for Thursday, but was rescheduled to leave from Nausori at 10:00am on Saturday, arriving at Fua'amotu at 12.45pm.

Fijian Airlines will then return to Nadi, departing at 2:00pm, the Fua’amotu International Airport agency confirmed today.


CoViD-19 testing

A two days delay in the repatriation is understood to be due to questions over how CoVid-19 testing might be done in Fiji before the passengers board the flight.

Because according to Tonga’s new repatriation policy, incoming passengers must have a negative CoViD-19 test result before they are allowed to board the plane for Tonga.

At a press conference this afternoon Dr 'Akau'ola explained that after the Prime Minister said the repatriation flight was arriving tomorrow, Thursday, that the Health authorities had prepared for Thursday.

He said contact was made with Fiji Health and they advised that it was not their policy to test passengers before they departed from Fiji.

“So, it's true [the flight is postponed] we were only aware this afternoon that the government is thinking of delaying the flight. The reason is to look at this area,” he said.

Second and third tests

Tonga’s COVID-19 Repatriation Policy also requires passengers arriving in Tonga to be tested again on arrival, before they go into quarantine for 14 days. After quarantine they must be tested again before they are allowed to go home.


The issue now appears to be that Tonga must adjust its Repatriation Policy, allowing incoming passengers from Fiji to board the flight to Tonga without being tested before they leave.

The Ministry of Health regards Fiji as a low risk because its cases of CoViD are controlled after they were picked up during quarantine.

“We feel medically, Fiji is still safe because they are imported cases.... But we already have a policy of CoVid free countries.”

“In my opinion, I propose that we can change our policy to exempt Fiji because there are no cases appearing in the community. Or we push for tests as they have people in Fiji that run tests. There are labs that can run tests and we are looking at that.”

Private labs in Fiji charge $70 for a CoViD-19 test.

Whatever is the procedure, the passengers will remain in quarantine for 14 days at the Tanoa Hotel in Nuku'alofa, which has 100 rooms available for quarantine.

“We will have a team with the passengers for two weeks. On the first day they arrive, they will all be tested. And that is an important test as we will get the result on the same day. We expect all of them to be negative, as they are coming from Fiji. The health staff will stay there for the two weeks. On the 14^th day, they will all be tested again.”

He said if they find any positive cases in quarantine, “depending on how sick that person is, then will we isolate that person at Vaiola Hospital or Mu’a Centre. And we’re also developing Taliai Camp to be able to isolate people there. The key is to pick it up fast. Everyone at the quarantine centre has to be tested.”

Meanwhile, an estimated 4,000 to 7,000 Tongans overseas are unable to return home during the continuing restrictions on travel into Tonga.

Leaving Tonga

Dr 'Ana Akau'ola said that CoViD-19 tests are expensive and are in great demand everywhere. The only tests available in Tonga are through the public health system, so  “Tonga would not test passengers who are leaving the country.”