Originally Posted by
ORAC
USA charging for evacuation flights.
From today’s
Politico London Playbook.
An absolute shocker of a story from my U.S. colleagues on POLITICO’s National Security Daily newsletter.
They report: “Even though U.S. officials tell NatSec Daily and others that evacuation flights from Kabul will be free, people trying to catch a plane in the Afghan capital say differently. One person said State Department staff were seeking large payments — up to $2,000 — from American passengers and even more from non-U.S. citizens.
When we relayed what this person told us to the State Department, a spokesperson didn’t deny that this is happening.
“U.S. law requires that evacuation assistance to private U.S. citizens or third country nationals be provided ‘on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable.’ The situation is extremely fluid, and we are working to overcome obstacles as they arise”, the spokesperson said.
Ah yes, and a U.S. citizen won't get his passeport renewed as long as he didn't pay his "evacuation flight's bill" That was the case last year, it's probably still the same now.