Highlights
- Eight repatriation flights planned from Australia
- Private carriers, flights & destinations likely to increase in phase 4
- Tickets for repatriation flights snapped up in minutes
Air India will operate 114 flights to cities in the US, UK, Canada and Australia between July 3-15 to repatriate Indians stranded abroad.
Phase four of the Vande Bharat Mission will also include private airlines who will operate 498 flights in addition to the flights announced by Air India, India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation said.
Air India Express will operate 300 flights in July (136 up to 14 July & 164 between July 15-31).
IndiGo Airlines will operate 238 flights from Qatar & 219 flights from Kuwait while Go Airlines will operate 41 flights from Kuwait.
‘Number of private carriers, flights & destinations likely to increase,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation .
Tickets sell out fast for repatriation flights from Australia
Tickets sold out fast for the repatriation flights planned from Australia from July 3-14.
Air India opened for these flights on June 28 around 4.30 pm but tickets were snapped up in minutes.
Canberra-based Priyanka Lochab, who missed out in the first two rounds, was finally able to book a ticket for her mother to return to India.
“We registered with the High Commission but were not shortlisted. My mother is desperate to return to my father in India. She has been here since November 2019 and after my father had a medical issue, my mother has been eager to return,” Ms Lochab told SBS Hindi.
Ms Lochab and her husband were among those who could book their tickets for these repatriation flights.
Canberra-based Priyanka Lochab, who missed out in the first-two rounds, was finally able to book a ticket for her mother. Source: Supplied
“We both logged in from different computers, followed the steps to the T and after a little bit of back and forth, finally managed to get the ticket. 30 mins after we paid, we received a confirmation,” Ms Lochab said.
Ms Lochab’s mother Savitri Devi will return to Delhi from Sydney on July 4.
But with thousands of Indians stuck in Australia, not everyone who is desperate to return managed to book a ticket.
“I was ready to book around 4.20 pm. My husband and I logged in from two different computers but it did not work out for us,” Ms Chand Negi told SBS Hindi.
Indian citizens Kapoor Singh Negi and his wife Sarla Negi are desperate to return to India. Source: Supplied
Her parents-in-law, Indian citizens Kapoor Singh Negi and his wife Sarla Negi are desperate to return to India.
“They have multiple health issues, their medicines have run out, they have a business to attend and run in India. There are multiple factors why they are desperate to return,” Ms Negi told SBS Hindi.
She said the email from the Indian authorities confused them.
“We received instructions to register on the website, whereupon we would receive a unique code, which would allow us to book the tickets. But on the actual website, we did not find the registration step. We lost 10-15 minutes understanding and asking around but it was too late,” Ms Negi said.
The Indian authorities changed the process of booking these repatriation flights in the fourth phase.
“People could book directly on the website. There was no shortlisting process by the Indian High Commission this time,” Ms Negi said.
Flight schedule of repatriation from Australia:
Flight schedule for third phase of repatriation from Australia. Source: Air India
The Indian government has said there will be more flights, which will include private airlines, in the coming days.
India is also working on establishing 'individual bilateral bubbles' with the US, the UK, Germany and France where they will allow airlines of the respective countries to operate international passenger flights.
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