COVID-19: Stranded Indians put high fares, evacuation delay behind them

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 6

India’s first phase of evacuation operation to be launched from Thursday with two naval ships and 64 flights spread over one week has come as a ray of hope for the lakhs stranded around the world. But many more could have returned home but for the absence of cooperation between countries, said sources.

The Ministry of External Affairs’ directives to pay the full fare in advance has not gone down well with a section of the media though officially it has been said that the purpose of charging passengers is to ensure that only deserving cases take the flight back home.

India will charge slightly less than the US, which charged between $ 2,000 and $ 2,500 per person. However, the US system allows penniless passengers to board the flights provided they sign a promissory note and they will not be eligible for new passports until the loan is repaid.

The UK, on the other hand, instead of asking passengers to pay higher charges for chartered flights, has provided a £ 75 million support for flights to countries like India to help its most vulnerable citizens.

Although videoconferences by international and regional organisations—UN, WHO, G-20, BRICS, NAM—underlined the need for cooperation during the epidemic, sources said many stranded Indians would have returned home more than a month ago had there been an understanding between the respective civil aviation authorities.

For instance, Israel sent half a dozen flights since March 21 to evacuate its nationals. Sources said besides its national carrier El Al, Israel also took the services of Air India. But no stranded Indian has returned from Israel from any of these flights. Given India’s modest beginning with the first phase of evacuation, it may be a while before anyone of them returns.

Similarly the US has sent two dozen flights to India with none of them bringing back stranded Indians. Sources said the US could have easily followed the protocol for disinfecting the plane had it arrived with Indians.

As a result, Indians in distress in the US have had to wait for well over a month. And the first phase of evacuation will be able to accommodate a maximum of 1,750 passengers said sources.

Germany, Britain, Canada and Russia, all have substantial numbers wanting to return to India, have had to wait it out.  Britain sent nearly five dozen flights only to India, almost equal to the 64 Air India flights to a dozen countries but has seen no Indian returning.

The chartered flights from Britain brought back over 15,000 British travellers—after observing physical distancing norms—which is almost the same number that India will bring back in phase one.