KOCHI: Airline company IndiGo on Thursday said it has been authorised to operate 97 repatriation flights from West Asia to Kerala. This makes Indigo the first private airline to start international commercial operations to India after the government banned such operations on March 22. Till now, national carriers Air India and Air India Express have been undertaking the evacuation flights, airlifting Indians stranded in various countries under the Vande Bharat Mission.
“IndiGo has been authorised to operate 97 Kerala reparation flights to the Middle East. Adhering to all the precautionary measures, the flights will be operated between Kerala and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Doha, Kuwait and Muscat. IndiGo has been granted nearly half of the 180 repatriation flights allotted to private airlines,” a release said here.
It did not, however, mention the dates of the flights or the airfare. Ronojoy Dutta, chief executive officer, IndiGo, said, “We had expressed eagerness to support Indian government’s repatriation efforts from the Middle-East. We are grateful for the approval to operate flights to four countries to bring back our fellow citizens, who are either stranded due to suspension of operations or have registered to fly back owing to the economic landscape.” The 97 repatriation flights will include 36 flights from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 28 from Doha, 23 from Kuwait and 10 from Muscat to Kerala.