Air India to operate special flights for foreigners stuck in India due to lockdown

Air India will operate 18 flights for citizens of Germany, Canada, France, Ireland stranded in India on the request of the concerned embassies, Chairman and Managing Director of the airline Rajiv Bansal said.

"AI has entered into commercial contracts with these countries to run charter flights for their citizens," Chairman and Managing Director further said.

Bansal said that all essential things like sanitisers, gloves, personal protective equipment will be provided to the cockpit crew, cabin crew and the ground staff. The cabin crew will also quarantine themselves after the flights.

The airline will also operate a cargo flight from Delhi to Hong Kong to bring back medical equipments mainly consisting of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from April 4-5. Permission is also awaited for cargo movement to Shanghai on April 6.

Earlier, Special Air India flights had also brought back Indians stranded in coronavirus affected countries like Italy, Iran, China.

On March 22, an Air India special flight brought back 263 Indians, most of whom are students, from Rome on Sunday. 

Earlier, 218 people were evacuated from Italy's Milan on March 15. They include 211 students and 7 compassionate cases who were evacuated through an Air India flight. They all have been kept at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police's quarantine facility.

Another batch of 83 Indians was evacuated from Italy on March 11. They have been kept at Army's Manesar quarantine facility.