Message for U.S. Citizens
Location: Bujumbura, Burundi
Event: Ethiopian special commercial flight planned for Saturday, May 23
The U.S. Embassy has learned a tentative special commercial flight is being arranged by SatGuru and operated by Ethiopian Airlines, potentially leaving Bujumbura on Saturday, 23 May, and traveling to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ADD). This flight is not confirmed, and SatGuru is waiting for the final confirmation from Government of Burundi for clearance. Once confirmed, SatGuru will publish ticket and baggage information. Anyone interested in this flight should direct inquiries and book their tickets directly with SatGutu at: sales.bjm3@satgurutravel.com.
U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents interested in departing on this special commercial flight opportunity should confirm their interest with BujumburaC@state.gov no later than Thursday, 21 May, at 12:00 p.m. so that we may provide to SatGuru the number of interested travelers. Ultimately, booking will be conducted directly through the travel agent.
The tentative schedule is:
Ethiopian Airlines, Flight #: ET 8820
Aircraft Type B737-700, Routing: ADD – KGL – BUJ – ADD
Depart Kigali: 15:25
Arrive Bujumbura: 16:05
Depart Bujumbura: 16:20
Arrival Addis Ababa: 19:45
Please note that the U.S. Embassy is not involved in arranging this flight, and we do not have details on exact timing, pricing, etc. The Embassy is in contact with SatGuru and will send out updates to this message as new information is provided, but interested parties should coordinate directly with SatGuru.
Connections may be available from Addis Ababa to other destinations, including to the United States. Travelers will be responsible for arranging their own travel from Ethiopia onward and should take into account the travel restrictions of any countries en route to their final destination. More information about travel restrictions in Ethiopia are available here. Further information about travel restrictions in other countries is available at the U.S. embassy COVID-19 web page for that country. Cost of the flight will ultimately be dependent on the number of seats occupied, and passengers must make arrangements directly with SatGuru once the flight is confirmed.
If your U.S. passport has expired, or will be expiring in the next 90 days, please schedule an emergency passport appointment with the consular section at BujumburaC@state.gov
The U.S. Embassy is not planning any additional special humanitarian flights at this time. The Embassy strongly encourages American citizens in Burundi who wish to return to United States in the near future travel via this or other opportunities as soon as possible. Otherwise, they should be prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. It is unclear when Burundi’s international airport will resume normal operations, or when other flights may be scheduled. The Department of State cannot guarantee that there will be future flight options.
Additional Actions to Take:
- Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
- For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Check with your airlines regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
- Visit our embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Burundi.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program(STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
- Review the Crime and Safety Reports for Burundi.
- Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
Assistance:
- U.S. Embassy Bujumbura, Burundi
B.P. 1720
Avenue des Etats-Unis
+257 22-207-000
https://bi.usembassy.gov/ - State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444 - Burundi-specific information
- Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)to receive Alerts
- Check the Alerts and Messages for U.S. Citizens portion of our webpage for past communications from STEP
- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter