Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in Mexico had promptly established an emergency organ to cope with containment and tracking, complete with a 24-hour emergency hotline. After getting the news that the Mexican airline had suspended operations – leaving more than 100 Chinese passengers stranded – it took steps to charter a plane.

    Reaching these Chinese citizens was complicated by the fact these 100 or so were scattered across many locales, and the Mexican airline provided only an English version of the passenger list. Data checking was a nightmare, as was locating the evacuees. After several days and nights of frantic work, the embassy nailed down everyone and informed them of the intended evacuation. Among the group were several elderly people and pregnant women who would need special attention.

    At 10 o'clock in the evening of May 4, I entered No. 2 Terminal of the airport to join a crowd of fellow Chinese already waiting there. More than 20 officials from the Chinese embassy had been sent to see us off and present some critical provisions for our trip, such as drinking water, food, gauze masks, and herbal medicine.

An Unforgettable Journey

    At 24:00, 79 Chinese passengers trickled through the safety check and boarded the China Southern Airlines charter. Each of the smiling flight attendants waved a small five-starred red flag, a moment guaranteed to draw tears from an expatriate returning home.

    Now packing the sanitized prevention gear (an N95 gauze mask and fluid disinfector), our body temperature was measured by the on-flight doctor. He shared with us what was quickly being publicized everywhere about epidemic prevention when in cramped or public spaces like airplanes.

    At 4:00 on May 5, four days after flights between China and Mexico were halted, our flight CZ0998/999 took off from Mexico City. The plane the Chinese government sent to carry us originally had 280 seats. To avoid infection, the space between seats had been expanded, and the seats themselves were equipped with new sanitary devices. Three hours later, we descended into Tijuana on the Mexico-US border, to pick up the remaining 19 stranded Chinese waiting there.

    During the long trans-Pacific journey, Wang Shishan, commander of the flight crew and a man with 26 years flying experience, left the pilot's compartment every few hours to check on the health of his passengers. China Southern Airlines had done a detailed risk assessment and made an appropriate plan: they sent a crew of seven pilots, two mechanics and 10 flight attendants. The Ministry of Health added two doctors specifically to watch out for signs and symptoms in the passengers and flight crew.

    After 25 hours in the air, the plane landed in Shanghai's Pudong Airport at 4:32 pm, May 6. Shanghai was fully prepared to receive the evacuees, having organized a team consisting of health, quarantine and customs personnel. The specialists had been waiting for a long time by the time the plane touched down.

    After a rigorous health check that lasted 40 minutes, we each made our way out of the cabin, waving red flags at those who had come to welcome us home. Then we were swiftly bundled into three coaches that carried us to a seaside hotel to begin seven days of quarantine and observation.

    From beginning to end it was a thoroughly efficient and precise operation, but one that at the same time expressed so well the care and warmth extended to us from our country. I am sure I speak for everyone plucked to safety when I say that the courage, kindness and consideration of the Chinese embassy, China Southern Airlines and others was simply unparalleled. Although we may not know all their names, we will never forget their deeds.