Three Indian repatriation flights scheduled for today

Muscat: Three flights of Air India Express will carry the expatriates stranded in Oman to various destinations in India, as part of the second phase of the national repatriation programme on Wednesday. Accordingly, IX 818 will carry passengers from Muscat to Bangaluru at 1.15 pm (arrival: Bangaluru at 6.15 Local Time); IX 714 from Muscat to Kannur at 3.15 pm (arrival: Kannur at 8.30 pm local time); and IX 342 from Salalah to Kozhikode at 3.25 pm (arrival: Kozhikode at 8.40 pm local time). This is part of the total of 11 flights that are scheduled to fly Indian nationals from the Sultanate to various Indian destinations, the first of which took off from Muscat International Airport to Trivandrum at 1.15 pm on May 17. Pregnant women, people needing urgent medical attention, stranded visitors, workers who lost their jobs due to downsizing, infants, and people having family emergencies are given priority to board the flights, according to Indian Embassy sources. The Indian government added three more flights to the existing eight flights announced earlier to accelerate the repatriation process from May 17 to 23. As part of the first phase, two flights carried stranded Indians to Kochi on May 9 and another one Chennai on May 12. 'All these are possible with the support of the authorities of the Sultanate of Oman, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ROP, the Airport Authority and all concerned', said Munu Mahawer, the Ambassador of India to Oman. As many as 149 flights are expected to operate between India and more than 40 other countries bringing back the stranded Indians. This includes feeder flights as well operated by different countries. Details of all the other six flights being operated from Thursday are: Thursday 21 May 2020 Muscat -  Calicut Thursday 21 May 2020 Muscat – Delhi Friday 22 May 2020 Muscat – Kannur Saturday 23 May 2020 Muscat – Kochi Saturday 23 May 2020 Muscat -  Trivandrum Saturday 23 May 2020 Muscat – Gaya The embassy will make further announcements relating to additional flights to India as and when the flights are scheduled and passengers shortlisted.