6,037 Indians flown back home in 31 flights

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 12

The government today said Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express have operated 31 inbound flights during the first five days of the Vande Bharat mission and brought home 6,037 Indians.

Officials in the Civil Aviation Ministry said Air India and Air India Express are scheduled to operate 64 flights between May 7 and May 14 to bring in approximately 15,000 Indians, who are stranded in 12 countries.

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of Covid-19, which has infected more than 70,000 people and killed around 2,290 people in the country so far.

“As many as 6,037 Indians have been flown back to India in 31 inbound flights operated by Air India and Air India Express under Vande Bharat Mission in five days beginning May 7,” the ministry said in an official statement.

Meanwhile, the headquarters of Air India here has been sealed for two days to conduct a thorough sanitisation of the building after an employee working there was tested positive for the coronavirus, officials in the national carrier said. The employee posted at the Gurdwara Rakabganj Road building tested positive on Monday evening, they added.