Vande Bharat flights bring over 3,900 stranded Indians back home

Over 3,900 Indian nationals stranded abroad have been flown back to the country in the past two days. As part of the government’s Vande Bharat mission, national

Over 3,900 Indian nationals stranded abroad have been flown back to the country in the past two days. As part of the government’s Vande Bharat mission, national carrier Air India (AI) has operated as many as 23 inbound and 25 outbound repatriation flights between May 8 and 10. These flights have flown more than 4,700 stranded passengers to and from the country.

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On May 9, AI operated six inbound flights, carrying 1,165 passengers, and its subsidiary Air India Express operated 10 flights with 1,626 passengers.

On May 10, five AI flights landed with 757 passengers and two Air India Express flights brought back 350 passengers.

The outbound flights on these two days carried 833 passengers from India to various destinations. Nine Air India flights carried 435 passengers on May 9, and four flights carried 385 passengers on May 10. Ten outbound Air India Express flights were operated on May 9, however, they carried a total of only 13 passengers out of the country. Two of these flights flew empty on May 10, to fly stranded Indians back.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) appreciated the efforts of the airport management, doctors and paramedics of Airport Health Organisation (APHO) and local civic and transport department of the states. “In Mumbai, the passenger process was completed within three hours, which was possible with coordination between senior-level officials from various ministries of the government and the Maharashtra state government,” said the AAI spokesperson.

from foreign countries and will handle 10 arrivals and six transit flights.

IMA: compulsory swab tests for passengers

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray seeking compulsory swab tests of all passengers returning to India.

“All passengers arriving in the state should undergo a swab test- RT-PCR on arrival and [be] sent to quarantine. This will take care of the untraced persons with or without symptoms,” reads the letter by Dr Avinash Bhondwe, president of IMA, Maharashtra.