In a major relief for Indians who are desperate to return to their work, homes, or families in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and vice versa, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and UAE have decided to operate repatriation flights to and from India starting July 12. The arrangement will be in place for 15 days, that is, until July 26, following which it will be reviewed, and changes may be introduced.
After that, Air India Express has opened ticket bookings for flights from India to the UAE under the Vande Bharat Mission. Many passengers have used social media to demand the resumption of international passenger flights from India to the UAE and other foreign countries.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) stated that charter flights operated by the UAE carriers to being Indian citizens from UAE to India will be allowed to carry ICA approved UAE residents returning to UAE from India on their return leg.
“Indian carriers operating repatriation flights to being Indian citizens from UAE to India will be allowed to carry the ICA (Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship} approved UAE residents on the outwards journey from India to UAE,” the ministry said.
“On India to UAE journey all these flights will carry only those passengers who are destined for the UAE,” it said.
AI on Thursday said as per an agreement between Civil Aviation Authorities of India and UAE, “AI and AI Express operating evacuation flights to bring Indian citizens from UAE to India will carry ICA approved UAE residents (returning to UAE from India) on the outward journey from India to UAE.”
Earlier, UAE Ambassador Ahmed Al Banna said during a webinar organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce, the UAE has been talking and consulting with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and with the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) on this matter. India suspended all scheduled international passenger flights on March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, , as against a total number of 6,61,352 persons who registered their request with our Missions abroad for repatriation to India, over 5,80,000 have returned under Vande Bharat Mission.