US evacuation from Wuhan sees US citizens priced out of escape

[Kentonio]

But around 1,000 Americans remain trapped in modern history’s largest-ever quarantine — involving some 50 million people in 17 cities — as infection rates continue to soar. Wuhan’s subway has been shut down, private vehicles banned from the city center, and the Lunar New Year holiday extended. Supermarkets test customer’s temperatures at the entrance and refuse to admit any with a fever.

Still, priority on Wednesday’s flight was given to staff at the local U.S. consulate and their families. The few remaining seats were available at inflated costs of $1,000, say Americans living in Wuhan, prompting anger among those who felt abandoned by their government.

“For the average person, that plane ticket really wasn’t available,” says George Goodwin, a biology teacher from Reno, Nev., who worked for the U.S. Center for Disease Control before moving to China. “Many people were very frustrated as the announcement [of the flight] made it seem this is going to be the savior of all Americans in Wuhan. Except it really isn’t because most of us can’t go.”

Why Americans Trapped in Wuhan Are Angry at the U.S. Government

So the US charters a flight, gives most of the seats to consolate staff and families and then tries to charge other Americans an inflated price for the few remaining seats. Oh and if they have Chinese wives or children they weren't allowed on the flight. Oh and provided no help to actually get to the airport even if people did buy tickets, despite there being no public transport and private cars being banned from the roads.

 

[DaisyDay]

Oh and if they have Chinese wives or children they weren't allowed on the flight.

Seriously?

What about Chinese husbands?

 

[Kentonio]

What about Chinese husbands?

Sorry, my bad. The example in the article was of a man with a Chinese wife, so I was thinking narrowly at the time.

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

Why Americans Trapped in Wuhan Are Angry at the U.S. Government

So the US charters a flight, gives most of the seats to consolate staff and families and then tries to charge other Americans an inflated price for the few remaining seats. Oh and if they have Chinese wives or children they weren't allowed on the flight. Oh and provided no help to actually get to the airport even if people did buy tickets, despite there being no public transport and private cars being banned from the roads.

See, that is just plain old wrong.

 

[Hazelelponi]

You make it sound so negative.

First, there was one plane able to seat 240 passengers. Priority is given to U.S. personnel and staff stationed there.

Those U.S. citizens who live in China by choice were given a chance to take the few remaining seats.

Since there are approximately 1,000 U.S. citizens in China (not including their Chinese national families) and perhaps around 100 seats left for private U.S. citizens, and the time to get a seat quite limited (from the time the government knew it was evacuating its people to the time the flight would leave China full of passengers), there wasn't enough time for a lottery.

The next best thing to a lottery therefore, is cash. Whoever can come up with the requisite amount of cash in a short time and get to the airport first wins a seat.

I don't see this as anything negative. The U.S. isn't responsible to transport U.S. citizens who could have left a month ago (there was a mass exodus from the city in the weeks prior to the lockdown) but chose not to for whatever personal reason they may have had... and it's certainly not responsible for the evacuation of Chinese nationals, and giving a Chinese national a priority over U.S. citizens? Unthinkable.

The same cannot be said for U.S. government personnel and their families. They couldn't have fled prior to the lockdown as they work for the U.S. government, who said stay until we take you out.

 

[essentialsaltes]

The next best thing to a lottery therefore, is cash.

Since there were apparently empty seats on the plane, I think 'first come first served' is an even better choice. The State Department is there to help US travellers.

A plane carrying about 201 U.S. citizens evacuated from Wuhan, China – the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus – landed in the U.S. on Tuesday night to refuel in Alaska before it took off for California. The plane is en route to California’s March Air Reserve Base “for the logistics that they have,” an official said.

The Boeing 747 with red and gold stripes and no passenger windows was initially headed to Ontario International Airport in California. It landed in Alaska at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on Tuesday night, was refueled, and took off for California. Every passenger passed the screenings.

A 747, depending on configuration, typically can carry at least 400 passengers. This one appears not to be a passenger plane, but the cargo version the 400F, but assuming the 240 earlier mentioned was the capacity, the later story says there were 201 on the plane.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Since there were apparently empty seats on the plane, I think 'first come first served' is an even better choice. The State Department is there to help US travellers.

A plane carrying about 201 U.S. citizens evacuated from Wuhan, China – the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus – landed in the U.S. on Tuesday night to refuel in Alaska before it took off for California. The plane is en route to California’s March Air Reserve Base “for the logistics that they have,” an official said.

The Boeing 747 with red and gold stripes and no passenger windows was initially headed to Ontario International Airport in California. It landed in Alaska at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on Tuesday night, was refueled, and took off for California. Every passenger passed the screenings.

A 747, depending on configuration, typically can carry at least 400 passengers. This one appears not to be a passenger plane, but the cargo version the 400F, but assuming the 240 earlier mentioned was the capacity, the later story says there were 201 on the plane.

I'm sorry, but 1,000 dollars is the average cost of a flight between China and the U.S.

What does the U.S. government owe to expatriates, do you suppose, that their flight should be free?

 

[Kentonio]

I'm sorry, but 1,000 dollars is the average cost of a flight between China and the U.S.

What does the U.S. government owe to expatriates, do you suppose, that their flight should be free?

It's an emergency evacuation to try and save the lives of American citizens. Demanding cash up front for that is a bit cold, given the vast sums the US spends on virtually everything else.

 

[Hazelelponi]

It's an emergency evacuation to try and save the lives of American citizens. Demanding cash up front for that is a bit cold, given the vast sums the US spends on virtually everything else.

So if I go to, say, England, and cannot afford a plane ticket home the U.S. should be required to come get me?

That's preposterous...

These are expatriates, they can come home on their own dime. It's not like anyone forced them to either be there, or to stay..

And the coronavirus isn't deadly to any but the elderly, those with compromised immune systems and the very young.

If your healthy in good condition and of an average age you'll get sick but you won't die.

 

[essentialsaltes]

I'm sorry, but 1,000 dollars is the average cost of a flight between China and the U.S.

What does the U.S. government owe to expatriates, do you suppose, that their flight should be free?

Not necessarily free, but...

State

U.S. law requires that the assisted evacuation of private U.S. citizens or third country nationals be provided “on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable.” However, we do understand that you may not be able to access your own money during a crisis. For evacuation transportation that we arrange to transport you out of a crisis location, you do not have to pay before you board. To board these transports, you will need to complete and sign a form promising to repay the U.S. government.

I'll assume the government is adhering to this, in which case ability to pay (on the spot) should not have prevented anyone from getting on the flight. The news article is a little ambiguous on the point -- maybe the real anger is more about the inability to take foreign family members along.

If they did ask for cash upfront, then they broke the law.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Not necessarily free, but...

State

U.S. law requires that the assisted evacuation of private U.S. citizens or third country nationals be provided “on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable.” However, we do understand that you may not be able to access your own money during a crisis. For evacuation transportation that we arrange to transport you out of a crisis location, you do not have to pay before you board. To board these transports, you will need to complete and sign a form promising to repay the U.S. government.

I'll assume the government is adhering to this, in which case ability to pay (on the spot) should not have prevented anyone from getting on the flight.

Okay.. so that's even better than I imagined it to be.

Again, 1,000 dollars is the average cost of a flight.

No one forced these people to be there, and no one forced them to stay.

If the Chinese is only allowing for one flight for each country's personnel at this late date, then we are still dealing with limited space and this seems to be the case since every country that has citizens there are making one evacuation flight only.

Limited space that, quite frankly, should be paid for or reimbursed and only used by U.S. citizens.

 

[Kentonio]

So if I go to, say, England, and cannot afford a plane ticket home the U.S. should be required to come get me?

That's preposterous...

These are expatriates, they can come home on their own dime. It's not like anyone forced them to either be there, or to stay..

And the coronavirus isn't deadly to any but the elderly, those with compromised immune systems and the very young.

If your healthy in good condition and of an average age you'll get sick but you won't die.

That's very humane of you. These people are living in the middle of a huge public health crisis, and the US like numerous other countries are bringing home their citizens in very difficult circumstances. The difference is that the other countries aren't asking people for cash before they get evacuated.

As for the money, what makes you think people always HAVE the money to fly their families across the world at a moments notice? Crisis like these tend to escalate very quickly from 'that's bad' to 'ARG! Everyone run away!!', and expecting everyone to just be able to afford trans-pacific airlines tickets for their families with basically no notice is not exactly reasonable. Also if they live in China, what do they actually do back in the US while the crisis blows over? Not everyone has family back home, so that could well be another big chunk of cash to try and find for accommodation etc.

End of the day these people are US citizens, and having their government lend a hand during times of major crisis is hardly a huge ask. Especially from a government that happily spends trillions on military equipment, flies their president around in his own private plane, and has more than enough cash lying around to charter a few planes to bring home their citizens in need.

 

[Hazelelponi]

That's very humane of you. These people are living in the middle of a huge public health crisis, and the US like numerous other countries are bringing home their citizens in very difficult circumstances. The difference is that the other countries aren't asking people for cash before they get evacuated.

As for the money, what makes you think people always HAVE the money to fly their families across the world at a moments notice? Crisis like these tend to escalate very quickly from 'that's bad' to 'ARG! Everyone run away!!', and expecting everyone to just be able to afford trans-pacific airlines tickets for their families with basically no notice is not exactly reasonable. Also if they live in China, what do they actually do back in the US while the crisis blows over? Not everyone has family back home, so that could well be another big chunk of cash to try and find for accommodation etc.

End of the day these people are US citizens, and having their government lend a hand during times of major crisis is hardly a huge ask. Especially from a government that happily spends trillions on military equipment, flies their president around in his own private plane, and has more than enough cash lying around to charter a few planes to bring home their citizens in need.

If I'm going to live overseas and marry foreigners I wouldn't see the U.S. government to be responsible for me.

If I refuse to leave an area that even local citizens are fleeing from then I don't think the U.S. government should be held responsible for my welfare.

If I refuse to pay or to reimburse for the only flight out, then I dont think the U.S. government should be responsible for my welfare.

These people seem to hate our country so much they don't care to live in it and don't care to have anything to do with its people or irs laws but God knows they are the first ones crying we owe them something when their own choices put them in a bad position.

They like communism so much they want to bathe in it? Well here they go, they got exactly what they asked for.

There are times in life you just have to be an adult and live with the consequences of your own actions.

I've had to live with the consequences of my actions and I don't understand why expatriates should be any different.

 

[Kentonio]

If I'm going to live overseas and marry foreigners I wouldn't see the U.S. government to be responsible for me.

If I refuse to leave an area that even local citizens are fleeing from then I don't think the U.S. government should be held responsible for my welfare.

If I refuse to pay or to reimburse for the only flight out, then I dont think the U.S. government should be responsible for my welfare.

These people seem to hate our country so much they don't care to live in it and don't care to have anything to do with its people or irs laws but God knows they are the first ones crying we owe them something when their own choices put them in a bad position.

They like communism so much they want to bathe in it? Well here they go, they got exactly what they asked for.

There are times in life you just have to be an adult and live with the consequences of your own actions.

I've had to live with the consequences of my actions and I don't understand why expatriates should be any different.

I swear I'll never understand some of you. Why on earth would someone going to live in China for a while mean they 'hate' America?! I live in a country that isn't my nation of birth, but it doesn't mean I hate the UK, I just had a good job opportunity and decided to move for a while.

As for expecting other people to look after you, why do you care exactly? The amount of money it would take to rescue every American in Wuhan is absolutely nothing in the larger scheme of things. In tax money terms it would certainly be less than a cent in your tax bill. So why the anger at the idea that your country might actually help some other Americans?

 

[Hazelelponi]

I swear I'll never understand some of you. Why on earth would someone going to live in China for a while mean they 'hate' America?! I live in a country that isn't my nation of birth, but it doesn't mean I hate the UK, I just had a good job opportunity and decided to move for a while.

As for expecting other people to look after you, why do you care exactly? The amount of money it would take to rescue every American in Wuhan is absolutely nothing in the larger scheme of things. In tax money terms it would certainly be less than a cent in your tax bill. So why the anger at the idea that your country might actually help some other Americans?

Those are my personal feelings considering expatriates..and I know a few.

And by the way, everything is always only a "small" amount but those amounts sure do add up. Our national debt is at unrecoverable levels as it is, but everyone and their brother wants another piece of a pie that doesn't even exist except in the imagination of those who want their cut of what they imagine we all owe them.

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

I swear I'll never understand some of you. Why on earth would someone going to live in China for a while mean they 'hate' America?!

That's easy. Trump is President!

 

[Hazelelponi]

That's easy. Trump is President!

There are people who would bleed and die for the privilege to live here, inside this country.

I don't really feel terrible pain for those who are happy elsewhere. Let them be elsewhere then!

 

[TLK Valentine]

That's easy. Trump is President!

I was about to ask what kind of administration would try to price-gouge an emergency medical evacuation... I suppose this response can be recycled.

 

[dqhall]

Why Americans Trapped in Wuhan Are Angry at the U.S. Government

So the US charters a flight, gives most of the seats to consolate staff and families and then tries to charge other Americans an inflated price for the few remaining seats. Oh and if they have Chinese wives or children they weren't allowed on the flight. Oh and provided no help to actually get to the airport even if people did buy tickets, despite there being no public transport and private cars being banned from the roads.

Hundreds of thousands of people died of the flu every year. 1300 have died of the flu in the US during this flu season. So far I read not many young people have died of the Novel corona virus. It mainly killed people over 55 with preexisting conditions. I await more news.

I was on a one month tour of Israel when the 2006 Hezbollah War broke out. Northern towns were hit by rockets fired by pro-Iranian Lebanese forces. The government asked tourists to leave the north. Hotels in the south were full of women and children. Army reservists boarded buses and were transported to their unit collection points. I had non-refundable airline tickets. I stayed in Israel until my scheduled British Airways flight left TLV - Ben Gurion Airport.

 

[Kentonio]

Hundreds of thousands of people died of the flu every year. 1300 have died of the flu in the US during this flu season. So far I read not many young people have died of the Novel corona virus. It mainly killed people over 55 with preexisting conditions. I await more news.

I was on a one month tour of Israel when the 2006 Hezbollah War broke out. Northern towns were hit by rockets fired by pro-Iranian Lebanese forces. The government asked tourists to leave the north. Hotels in the south were full of women and children. Army reservists boarded buses and were transported to their unit collection points. I had non-refundable airline tickets. I stayed in Israel until my scheduled British Airways flight left TLV - Ben Gurion Airport.

This is what I’m talking about. Basically ‘a bad thing happened to me once and no-one helped, so why should other people be helped when bad things happen to them?’. Maybe if we focused more on just helping people, then less and less people would find themselves helpless when bad things happen?