10 June 2020, Berlin – 303 Filipino crewmembers of AIDA Cruises departed for the Philippines from Hamburg, Germany on 10 June 2020 via a chartered TUI Netherlands flight. They are expected to arrive in the Philippines on 11 June 2020.
The seafarers had been awaiting repatriation after cruise trips were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic starting in March.
The Filipino crew, part of several thousand AIDA Cruises employees of different nationalities, were assisted at the send-off by Philippine Ambassador to Germany Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz, and Philippine Embassy staff members Arneil Sergio and Vieto Pilapil.
The crew members expressed their hope that cruise operations would gradually be resumed by German maritime companies.
Before boarding, The Filipino crew were provided with information on how to avail of the AKAP or Social Amelioration Fund and also the Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay Livelihood Assistance Program of OWWA. END