Two special flights to operate from UAE to India on May 7 2020, as the Government of India undertakes the massive task of repatriating them to the home country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of the two flights one flight will operate from Abu Dhabi and fly to Kochi and the other from Dubai to Kozhikode, both in India’s southern state of Kerala.
The details were shared in a Press Release tweeted by the Consulate General of India in Dubai and re-tweeted by the Embassy of India Abu Dhabi.
The passenger lists for both these flights will be finalised by the Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi (Embassy) and the Consulate General of India, Dubai (Consulate) on the basis of registrations in the Embassy-Consulate database, launched for this purpose a few days ago.
The database received almost 200,000 registrations for Indians wanting to travel back (with close to 100,000 registering in the first two days itself, causing the system to be overloaded).
The High Commission sought patience and cooperation from Indian nationals in the UAE, as it would take time to accommodate all of them in various flights, even as the Government of India undertakes this massive task of repatriating hundreds of thousands from several countries.
Given the social distancing norms under COVID-19 in the UAE, the release said that in-person visits to the Embassy-Consulate should be avoided.
The Embassy-Consulate is contacting people on the passenger lists directly through emails or telephone calls. It was reiterated that air tickets will only be issued to those on the passenger lists prepared by them.
As stated in the registration form earlier, priority will be given to:
- Workers in distress
- Elderly people
- Urgent medical cases
- Pregnant women and
- People stranded in difficult situations.
Details required pre, during and post travel – such as health requirements to board the flight; cost of tickets; quarantine requirements to be strictly followed after landing in India and other conditions for travel, will be conveyed in due course and will have to be accepted by each passenger the release said.
As further flights to different destinations in India are confirmed in the coming days the Embassy-Consulate will convey the details to those registered in their online database through phone calls and email.
The process for finalisation of the passenger lists for other upcoming flights will remain the same it stated.