Yes, you can leave TT – for a price

People travelling out of TT have to pay a hefty price for their tickets to get to their destinations, as well as grappling with the procedure for exemptions.

Covid19 mitigation measures have seen stiff restrictions on travel movements across borders. In March TT shut its borders completely, with only nationals granted exemptions by the Ministry of National Security allowed back in.

But it's a different story for Trinis and others trying to leave the country, to return to their universities or homes overseas.

Leaving the country can be less difficult in some ways than getting in. Several travel agencies have been offering charter flights to Barbados, St Lucia, the US and the United Kingdom.

Shanti’s Travel Service is one such agency. One of its agents, who wanted to be identified only as Ravina, told Newsday they have been getting most of their bookings from students.

She said, “We offer flights from Trinidad to Barbados on an eight-seat passenger plane, and from Trinidad to St Lucia on a 30-seat aircraft.

“All passengers must be tested for covid19 and have gone through the process to get exemption, at least in the first stage. We assist, where necessary, for the exemption to be granted.”

When asked how long it takes for an exemption to be granted, Ravina said, “When in a business like this, you know how to get the job done. Final exemption usually takes about two weeks.”

Using Shanti’s Travel Service, the cost of a chartered flight to Barbados falls between $5,000 and $6,000 and for St Lucia it is about $4,330 per person. She was unable to give prices for flights to the US and UK.

At other travel services it ranges from $2,000-$4,000 for Barbados, $3,000-$3,500 for St Vincent, $4,000-$6,000 for Jamaica and US$1,850 to Amsterdam and then London. They said flights leave only when there is a full aircraft, so it's difficult to plan in advance.

Newsday contacted several travel services, which said the majority of bookings have been students trying to get back to the US, UK and Canada.

One UK national who has been trying to get home since April said while she understood the reasons for closing the borders, assistance from the Ministry of National Security was not forthcoming.

She chose to remain anonymous, but said her reason for visiting TT has been for work as a writer and performer. Attempts to get help from the British High Commission with repatriation have also been unsuccessful, she noted.

She told Newsday on Tuesday that her next option was a chartered flight, but the price of getting to Barbados and then the UK was too much.

“It is costing as much as US$1,000-$1,100 to Barbados and nearly another US$1,180 to the UK.

“That is exploitation and piracy," she charged, "and there were no guarantees, no insurance and no refunds, because flights can be cancelled if the flight is not filled and the chartering service sees it unprofitable.”

She said covid19, despite the many challenges, had given the region an opportunity to put in place a proper transport system between the islands.