Inverness family finally home after being stranded in Philippines during Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown
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An Inverness family are finally home after securing places on a repatriation flight from the Philippines.
Ian Simpson, his wife Engela and their two young children – Philip (5) and seven-month-old Zoe – had been stuck in the Philippines since February after visiting family there.
Coronavirus lockdown measures were imposed in the country in mid-March, after which the family missed out on a first repatriation flight from Manila to Heathrow Airport because of a lack of connections to their base in Butuan City.
They finally secured passage on another flight last Tuesday when connections were included.
“We are delighted and consider ourselves very fortunate,” Mr Simpson said after the family landed back on UK soil.
Their 60-hour journey door-to-door included a three-and-a-half-hour journey by minibus to Davao Airport for the first flight to Manila.
Its late departure then left the family scrambling to make the connection.
“Multiple security checks and a terminal transfer were required but we made the flight with minutes to spare,” Mr Simpson said. “The international flight probably departed 45 minutes behind schedule.
“Other than that, all went to plan.
“The passengers on the international flight all seemed in good spirits. For us the highlight would be the drive from Heathrow to Inverness, mainly as that was under our own control and pace.”
With the family back in their home in Westhill in Inverness, Mr Simpson, an IT automation developer, said he was most looking forward to eating baked beans again.
“For the family, it is good being surrounded by our own things and support system,” he said.
Inverness MP Drew Hendry had been assisting the family during their time trying to get home and was delighted to hear they were back on Scottish soil.
“It is great to have Ian and his family home where they belong,” he said.
“Over the past month, my team and I have been in almost constant contact with the FCO and the minister’s office to try and help Ian, his family and several other constituents also stranded across the world. We will continue to support local families until they are all back home, safe and well, like Ian and his family.”
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