The Vande Bharat Mission launched in May to repatriate Indians stranded abroad following the COVID-19-induced air travel restrictions will be intensified in the coming days even as some States, especially Kerala, have raised concerns about the number of positive cases of returnees.
Sources say Air India will operate over 70 flights to various destinations in the ongoing third phase of the mission that began on June 11. It will go on till June 30. The third phase will be crucial as the mission plans to evacuate 38,000 Indians on 337 flights from 31 countries. Now the focus is on the U.S. and Canada.
Air India plans to operate 10 additional flights to the U.S. from June 20 to July 3. Bookings are open only on the Air India website.
4 lakh register
About 4 lakh Indians have registered with diplomatic missions across the globe for repatriation under the mission. Around 500 flights have brought back nearly one lakh from 52 countries till now since May 7. Also, more than 24,000 people have flown out on outbound flights.
The sources say the Ministry of Civil Aviation would ramp up the evacuation operation from GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) nations, Africa, Singapore and Malaysia. As of now Indians stranded abroad have been repatriated via flights, ships and also on bus from neighbouring countries of Nepal and Bangladesh.
Besides, the Civil Aviation Ministry has granted permission to 870 chartered flights aimed at carrying two lakh passengers, including outbound, to various destinations.
Airline companies
Some of the airline companies offering services are Qatar Airways, Emirates, flydubai, Saudia, Eithad, Air Arabia, Gulf Air, Kuwait Air, Jazeera, British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, United Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, KLM , Air New Zealand, Aeroflot, and Thai Air Asia.
Domestic operations which resumed on May 25 are going on full swing. Airports in the country handled 67,718 passengers. The total movements departures and arrivals were 1,464 as of June 15.
