BENGALURU: It is a homecoming for 326 Indians stuck abroad due to the coronavirus lockdown. The first Air India repatriation flight to Bengaluru, carrying 300 plus nationals, including three infants and 12 crew members, landed at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) from London at 4.47 am.
The flight (AI 162/AI 1803) suffered a delay of over 100 minutes.
AI 162 had a delayed start from Heathrow airport and had a stopover at New Delhi en route. "It was a planned technical stopover and no passengers alighted there," said an airline source. According to Air Traffic Control records, the flight occurred at 4.41 am.
This is the first of six flights to be operated by Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express to Bengaluru to bring Indians stranded abroad under the Vande Bharat Mission, said an airport official.
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Thermal screening to detect COVID-19 symptoms was carried out for all passengers at the airport, said a source. The passengers stepped out and were taken on a bus to Whitefield. Passengers were only allowed to move in batches of 20 for tests and collection of baggage due to safety reasons, said a security official.
Asymptomatic passengers will be quarantined for a 14-period at resorts and hotels across Bengaluru. 16 BMTC buses were waiting to ferry them to hotels and resorts across Bengaluru.
According to a transport representative present at the spot, 'Keeping social distancing in mind, each bus will take only 20 passengers.' Passengers showing symptoms will be sent to COVID-19 hospitals.