“What some Bermudians are experiencing at airports is heartbreaking, and we have made our displeasure known to the airlines themselves,” Premier David Burt said, adding that a message has been sent to the airlines saying that “no Bermudian should be denied entry into Bermuda.”
Premier’s Statement
The Premier said, “This holiday weekend, Bermudians celebrated on the water, on the beach and at family get-togethers across the Island. The end of the restrictions that have dominated our lives for far too long brought some welcome relief. But our ability to do these things is directly connected to a strong border policy. Protecting Bermuda at the borders from coronavirus variants must be our top priority in this phase of the global pandemic..
“I’ve seen the photos and the videos. What some Bermudians are experiencing at airports is heartbreaking, and we have made our displeasure known to the airlines themselves. Some travellers have experienced challenges submitting correct information to the new Travel Authorisation, and we will continue to do all that we can to help those arriving passengers safely and seamlessly get to Bermuda.
“As I said in the House of Assembly on Friday, the Government is not denying any Bermudian the right to return home. Whilst the requirement for a Travel Authorisation is not new, we have had to work with our airline partners to ensure that they have the correct information. I can confirm that the following message was sent to IATA – the international airline regulatory body – following the first indication of the issues with returning residents:
“Recently, some Bermudians have experienced challenges when trying to board flights to Bermuda because they did not have the necessary Travel Authorisation documents. Please update your system advising that, “under the provisions of the Bermuda Constitution Order 1968, no Bermudian should be denied entry into Bermuda, as Bermuda cannot deny a resident his or her ability to return home.”
“We will continue to reiterate this message and make the point that no Bermudian should be refused boarding a flight home for this reason.
The Premier continued: “There is enough misinformation in circulation, so it is irresponsible of the Opposition to add to it. The Quarantine Order made by the Minister of Health followed the law to the very letter. The procedure under the Quarantine Act requires the Minister to make the Order first (sign it and publish it) and then to table it in the Legislature. In fact this is one of many changes to border controls made since this pandemic began, and they have all been made in the exact same way. The Quarantine Act 2017 is clear, and the Order is properly made and operative.”
“The adoption of new and different restrictions has been a challenge throughout this pandemic, but these changes were announced on Tuesday as part of the regular Covid press conference, and so any suggestion that notice of the changes was any later is simply false.”
The Premier concluded: “This weekend, I felt the full brunt of the frustration of those people who have tried to follow the rules and fully appreciate the stress and anxiety these situations can cause. On behalf of the Government, I apologise for the unfortunate circumstances that have arisen.
“An entire team has worked this holiday weekend, making themselves available to assist as many people as possible, and that work is continuing. We must own the issues, and I will tomorrow invite the Cabinet to consider waiving any penalty for incomplete Travel Authorisations for residents while we work to ensure all travellers are familiar with the revised process.
“I believe, in fact, I know, that Bermudians are tired of restrictions which have had a clear economic impact on hard-working women, men and families. I believe Bermudians want this economy open and active so that they can work full time, pay their bills and enjoy this summer. It is only with strong border protection that we can maintain this. Our policies strike the necessary balance between our social and economic well-being and, like so many other countries, are designed to move beyond the pandemic.”
Government’s Statement
In a separate statement issued earlier, a Government spokesperson said, “Bermudians travelling home are not being denied entry by the Government of Bermuda. All of the airlines that service the island are aware of the protocols for boarding Bermudians.
“What is occurring is that Bermudians abroad are being denied boarding by the airlines and, we are keenly aware of the anger and anxiety that this is causing.
“Before travelling to Bermuda, everyone should take a moment to learn about our entry requirements, on-island health and safety measures, testing capacity and more. Since July of 2020 all travellers boarding flights to Bermuda have been required to have a Travel Authorisation [TA].
“Visit here for all of the information on the Travel Authorisation. When applying for a Travel Authorisation [TA], loading a SafeKey [expired or current], for example, or any expired documents, will result in a TA denial. If you are fully immunised, upload your vaccination certificates only and NOT your SafeKey.
“Everyone should complete the Travel Authorisation [TA] with all necessary documents. Have your documents ready before you start the TA process. This includes your test results, vaccine certificates or hotel/exemption confirmations.
“If you do not have all of the information and your TA is rejected, please call the Covid-19 helpline at 444-2498 for assistance. The helpline operates from 8 am until 8 pm every day. To assist those with rejected TAs further, the helpline team will contact the traveller to make sure he or she understands what must be rectified to ensure a TA approval.
“To get an exemption from the quarantine hotel or to have your quarantine hotel stay paid for by the Government requires completing the online form as soon as possible. Failure to complete the Travel Authorisation correctly and entirely will delay entry into Bermuda or incur significant fees. The exemption application can be found here.
“It is crucial for travellers to be fully prepared, with all of the necessary documents, prior to completing your TA. Be very meticulous in filling out the information with all of the correct information, especially your email address.”
