Health Alert - U.S. Embassy Quito, Ecuador - U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Ecuador

Health Alert – U. S. Embassy, Quito, Ecuador – March 24, 2020

EVENT: United States Government Humanitarian Charter Flights Available NOW

Please read this message in its entirety.

I. STATE DEPARTMENT SPONSORED CHARTER FLIGHTS:

U.S. citizens seeking to return to the United States from Ecuador may be able to access U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT-chartered humanitarian flights in addition to already existing commercial charters. These new humanitarian flights are available to U.S. Citizens departing from both Guayaquil and Quito airports to Miami. We are researching the possibility of flights from Cuenca, but are unable to confirm at this time. Ticket costs will be comparable to full-fare economy flights that would have been charged immediately prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To obtain a ticket on a U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT-chartered flight from Quito or Guayaquil, you should email QTOUSCitizen@state.gov IMMEDIATELY with the information requested in the form below. EIGHT such flights have been initially programmed from Ecuador to Miami International Airport (MIA): Two flights per day are scheduled to depart from both Quito Mariscal Sucre International Airport and from Guayaquil José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport the afternoons of both Thursday, March 26, 2020 and Friday, March 27, 2020 (exact times will be confirmed). Exact flight departure time and routing are subject to change.

Please do not call the Embassy or Consulate to confirm receipt of your email; we WILL contact you directly with your itinerary once you are confirmed for a seat on one of these State Department-chartered flights. At this time, we anticipate responding within 12 hours with an email confirmation and/or further instructions. There may be delays depending on demand. Please be prepared to depart; we aim to provide as much notice as possible.

No pets will be allowed on these government-chartered flights. If you are travelling with pets, we suggest contacting a commercial airline directly. (Several of the commercial charter companies appear to be permitting some pets at this time.)

All passengers on State Department-chartered flights are required to reimburse the U.S. Government for their tickets and must sign a promissory note (U.S. Department of State Form DS-5528 – PDF 101kb) before boarding. Tickets are available through evacuation loans only, and not direct purchase. The promissory note serves as a repayment agreement with the Department of State for your evacuation loan/charter flight ticket and it includes information about repayment options. No cash or credit card payments will be accepted at the airport. We do not have specific cost information at this time; however, ticket costs will be comparable to full-fare economy flights that would have been charged immediately prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Once you are confirmed for a specific flight, you will receive your itinerary, detailed instructions for completing Promissory Note DS-5528, and instructions for check-in and processing at the airport. Do not come to the designated airport unless you have received confirmation for one of the flights. Again, we take this opportunity to remind you that you should respect established curfew hours from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., effective March 25, 2020. U.S. citizens should comply with all local laws and monitor local news for any updates.

In your email to QTOUSCitizen@state.gov, please complete the following form for each member of your family group. All fields are required. Please respond with one email per family group, repeating the form for each family member/passenger. By completing this form, you are requesting a seat(s) on one of the arranged charter flights. Family members accompanying you do not need to be U.S. citizens.

Passenger 1
Last Name
First Name
Middle Initial
Date of Birth (MM/DD/YYYY)
Sex (M/F)
E-mail Address
Phone Number
Passport #
Passport Expiration Date (MM/DD/YYYY)
Passport Issuing Country
Are you a U.S. Citizen?
If not, are you a dependent of a U.S. Citizen?
If you are a dependent, what is your relationship to the U.S. Citizen?
Known Medical or Underlying Health Conditions
Pets (subject to availability)
Your Current Location in Ecuador (City)
Final Destination in U.S. (City, State)
Desired Departure Airport in Ecuador (Guayaquil/Quito) or Cuenca (as an unconfirmed possibility)
Head of Household Name (if more than one person in your family group and you must travel together)

II. TO OBTAIN COMMERCIAL CHARTERS as an alternative to the State Department-sponsored charters: You should work with the airlines to make travel arrangements. Known commercial flight information can be found (and is constantly updated) on the U.S. Embassy Quito website here: https://ec.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information-ecu-2/.

III. GROUND TRAVEL IN ECUADOR: Regardless of whether you intend to travel on State Department-sponsored charters or on a commercial charter: For passengers currently located outside of the Guayas province (where Guayaquil is located), please consider a flight departing from Quito, if possible. The Embassy has received reports of travelers encountering difficulty entering Guayas province by road due to stricter entry requirements and lack of proper documentation required by the Government of Ecuador. Additionally, the Government of Ecuador has restricted movement throughout the country with very limited exceptions and imposed a daily, country-wide curfew from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., effective March 25, 2020. These restrictions can change at any time. U.S. citizens should comply with all local laws and monitor local news for any updates.

IV. Additional Actions to Take:

Click here for a message from the U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador.
Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for up-to-date information on flight availability, conditions in Ecuador, and advice on how to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19.

Assistance:

U.S. Embassy Quito, Ecuador
+(593)(2) 398-5000
+(593)(2) 398-5000 (after hours)
ACSQuito@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General Guayaquil, Ecuador
+(593)(4) 371-7000
+(593)(4) 371-7000 (after hours)
ACSGuayaquil@state.gov
State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444