Special flights get people back home from Japan

On Feb 16, Air China flew 207 Chinese passengers from Tokyo to Wuhan in Central China's Hubei province. The flight was the second arranged by the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Chinese embassy in Japan. Tourists and business travelers had been left stranded because of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

According to the airline, passengers had their temperature taken twice before checking in and boarding, and were asked to wear face masks at all times.

The crew was made up of 13 experienced members. Medical staff from the National Health Commission joined the flight, which also transported about 3.5 metric tons of donations for epidemic control.

On Feb 5, the airline sent 223 Hubei passengers back from Osaka. Wang Jing, in her twenties, volunteered to join this first flight. It's the third time she has worked during the annual Spring Festival holiday. But this time was the most special one, she said.

"I was both excited and worried," she said. "I wanted to contribute on the front line, but my family may worry about me, so I decided not to let them know."

To avoid crowding, the crew held meetings on the social media app WeChat to prepare for the flight. This included wearing protective suits and learning about detailed procedures of health inspection and services.

In a cabin that was decorated with national flags, Wang found many of the passengers avoided eye contact or spoke little, which indicated a sense of anxiety among them, she recalled.

Wang said the best relief was sincere care and help, which meant learning about their demands and providing service before they asked for it.

At one point she felt dizzy after wearing the heavy suit for a long time. However, "I think it's not a big deal, compared with the doctors and nurses who had to wear it for more than 10 hours a day", she said. She added that the passengers gave a big round of applause to the crew after they landed.

It was about 2 am when Wang and her colleagues arrived in Beijing from Wuhan. Then they began a 14-day quarantine. "If needed, I'd like to take a part again," Wang said.

Meng Fanmeng, 31, is a ground staff member of Air China's Hubei branch. He took a part in the first flight reception.

Forty minutes before landing from Osaka, Meng and his colleagues began preparing, wearing masks and reflective vests, taking intercoms and driving to the remote boarding gate.

When the cabin door was opened at 6:45 pm, Meng recalled he felt a hot wave gushing out. Customs officials, all in protective suits, were waiting there.

Before the arrival of the flight from Osaka, passengers in another chartered plane from Singapore were receiving body checks and customs inspection.

Meng said his work included helping the crew members and medical workers to complete customs clearance and serving as a guide to the passengers, so he had to move around. After he sent the last passenger off, he was soaked in sweat.

Meng is one of the Air China staff members at work during the epidemic.

"I would be lying if I said I was not afraid－after all, I need to look after my son and parents－but I cannot flee, because my job is to provide ground service to those who have left home for Wuhan to help us," he said. "Every one of them is like a soldier, regardless of the risk. How can I hesitate? "

By Feb 16, Air China had run 32 chartered flights during the outbreak, serving about 3,200 medical workers and 430 Chinese from overseas, and shipping 245 tons of necessities.