Many Kiwis still stranded overseas are facing a long wait to come home

April 2, 2020

It comes as cancelled flights and rising accommodation bills add to their financial stress.

It’s a long wait to come home for many New Zealanders still stranded overseas.

Cancelled flights and rising accommodation costs are adding to the financial stress of Kiwis who are stranded overseas amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Holly Bates is stranded in Peru and is facing the reality of hunkering down for weeks on end, with a decreasing bank balance.

“We’ve go no income coming in but all these bills going out,” she told 1 NEWS.

The New Zealand Government says it is still actively trying to bring home Kiwis stuck abroad but the need to transit through other countries is problematic.

Jacinda Ardern has said if a charter flight is being used, the Government will look into whether or not it’s viable to put stranded Kiwis on board.

But for now, it means Ms Bates and her Australian partner have to stay put.

"We budgeted for this holiday, planned it for a couple of years, and that budget has just gone completely down the drain. I never knew that a three week holiday could turn into double if not triple the time away," she says.

The couple are currently spending almost $900 a week on their Puno hotel.

That’s not including the $100 a week for food. Adding to that there is the almost $500 a week rent cost for their Sydney apartment.

"You've got to do it, you've got to find a way but It's getting harder and harder to not be stressed about it."

They have also spent almost $8,000 on flights that were later cancelled, with that money now either lost or tied up in credit with various airlines.

Kiwis around the world are experiencing the same issue.

"Flights home are about two and a half thousand pounds, the problem is once you've attempted to get home a few times, you don't get that money back straight away," says Jack Hewitt who is currently stuck in Belfast.

A fundraising page has been set up by friends and family of Ms Bates and her partner.

"They still are willing to give us some money to get us home and try get us home. It's quite humbling," she says.

But with no real prospect of flight home, any time soon, the stranded couple are having to watch every cent they spend.

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