Some in the global travel and tourism world call her Miss Cameroon. Francoise Kameni is not only the Vice President of Baseball and Softball Federation of Cameroon and a member of the International Softball Federation, but she is also one of the most prominent leaders in Cameroon in the African tourism industry. Francoise is an ambassador for the African Tourism Board and has been the eTurboNews brand ambassador for Cameroon for 20 years.

For many years Francoise has been seen at travel industry events around the globe.

She left Cameroon in early March for Berlin, Germany to attend the ITB trade show. Unfortunately, ITB was canceled due to Coronavirus on the day she left Douala.

Francoise stayed 2 days in Berlin and continued for New York to assist the Cameroon Embassy in a project. She was booked to fly back to Cameroon on March 19. Her flight was canceled due to COVID-19 and she was stuck in New York for more than 2 weeks.

Listen to the incredible story Francoise is telling to eTurboNews while wondering the transit area at FRAPORT.

The Cameroon Embassy arranged a rescue flight for its citizens from Paris to Douala on April 17. Francoise spent hours on the phone every day while in New York. Finally, United Airlines booked her on a Lufthansa flight from New York to Paris via Frankfurt on April 4.

Lufthansa boarded her in New York when Francoise presented a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa issued by the French Embassy in Douala.

When she landed at 9.30 am in Frankfurt on Sunday morning and wanted to transfer to her Lufthansa flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, the German Federal Police refused her entry due to Coronavirus border restrictions.

German Police checked with French authority and did not get clear guidance, so they ordered Ms. Kameni to spend 23 hours in a deserted transit area of Frankfurt Internation Airport. There was no food but she managed to get a glass of water for her 24-hour airport stay

A German Federal police officer told eTurboNews: “I feel very sorry for the lady, but my hands are tied. Our borders are closed, and Lufthansa should have never accepted her to board in New York on Friday. Lufthansa flights are only one-way rescue flights for Germans to come home.”

eTurboNews reached out to Lufthansa, but there was no response so far.

Francoise started to feel sick while at FRAPORT and asked to see a doctor on Sunday. There was no doctor available and she struggled to stay alert.

Finally at 10 am Monday morning she was escorted by German Federal Police to United Airlines flight 691 and left Frankfurt at 11.20 am for Newark, New Jersey.

It’s not clear if she will be admitted to the United States in Newark. Since she wasn’t asked for her health status when leaving the U.S on Friday, she wasn’t asked after landing in Frankfurt, and again wasn’t asked when boarding her flight to Newark it should be hoped Francoise is not carrying COVID-19.

eTurboNews called United Airlines prior to her departure to alert the airline of this possible threat. The agent in the Chicago call center told eTN there is nothing she can do.

Information provided to Francoise by German Federal Police at Frankfurt International Airport. Francoise was forced to sign the document. The document is in German, but the passenger speaks no word of German.

The Cameroon Embassy provided confirmation to German and French authorities about the rescue flight asking to accept her to travel to France, so she could catch that flight

Currently, Francoise is onboard to United Airlines heading from Frankfurt to Newark, New Jersey to be stranded again in the United States.
She was able to alert the foreign ministry in Cameroon to assist with U.S. authorities.

Culled from eTurboNews