Air India has informed that it will operate special domestic ferry flights only for those passengers who have been repatriated from foreign destinations under the ‘Vande Bharat’ Mission.
Accordingly, the airline will run these special ferry flights during the second phase of the repatriation mission as part of the total sector from international cities to domestic cities through major hubs like Delhi or Mumbai.
Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express have been engaged in bring back thousands of Indian citizens from abroad amid the lockdown imposed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
However, many passengers brought to large hub airports would require further transport for them to reach their home states. Consequently, the airline will operate these special flight for those passengers.
Till Wednesday, the airline brought back over 11,000 passengers from abroad on special flights.
The Air India Group is operating a total of 64 flights to bring back nearly 15,000 stranded Indians from 12 countries in the first phase of mission.
The huge operation is being carried out in close coordination by several ministries – External Affairs, Defence, Home Affairs and Civil aviation– and various state governments.
The Centre had on May 4 announced plans to begin a phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7.
Under the ‘Vande Bharat Mission’, the government is facilitating the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad on compelling grounds in a phased manner.
India has been under lockdown since 25 March to curb the spread of the coronavirus and it will continue till 17 May. All commercial passenger flights have been suspended for this period.