More flights to transport Indians home

Muscat: A total of 11 flights are scheduled to fly Indian nationals from Muscat and Salalah to various Indian destinations across the country as part of Phase 2 of the repatriation programme, the first of which took off from Muscat International Airport to Trivandrum at 1.15 pm on Sunday. A total of 183 passengers including six infants, people needing urgent medical attention, workers, stranded visitors and people having family emergencies flew home on the Air India Express flight IX 554. Earlier, the Government of India had announced eight flights in all to help its citizens get home. However, three more flights were added to the existing itineraries in order to accelerate the repatriation process from May 17 to 23. This is the third flight to carry Indians, the two others being one to Kochin on May 9 and another to Chennai on May 12. 'We are grateful to 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 the Sultanate of Oman. A total of 149 flights are expected to operate to bring back stranded Indians from 40 countries across the world. This includes feeder flights as well operated by different countries. 'Passenger lists for all the flights will be finalised by the Embassy on the basis of information received by the mission through the form which was disseminated by the Embassy on its website and social media,' the embassy official in charge of the repatriation programme said. Priority has been given to medical emergency cases, pregnant women, workers in distress, senior citizens as well as to other Indian nationals who are stranded in difficult situations. The Embassy will be contacting the short-listed people for each flight directly through email or telephone. The Embassy will make further announcements relating to additional flights to India as and when these are scheduled. Following are details of all the eleven flights being operated from Oman: Date                                           Sector 17 May 2020 Muscat – Trivandrum 18 May 2020 Muscat – Hyderabad 20 May 2020 Muscat – Bangalore 20 May 2020 Muscat -  Kannur 20 May 2020 Salalah – Calicut 21 May 2020 Muscat -  Calicut 21 May 2020 Muscat – Delhi 22 May 2020 Muscat – Kannur 23 May 2020 Muscat – Kochi 23 May 2020 Muscat -  Trivandrum 23 May 2020 Muscat – Gaya (Courtesy: Indian Embassy, Muscat)