Coronavirus: Don’t pay for repatriation charter flights in advance, Indians stranded in UAE told
Flight, quarantine cost to be borne by those chartering flights, says Indian Consulate
Dubai: Stranded Indians in the UAE looking for repatriation on charter flights should not make payments in advance to anyone till they get final approval, the Indian Consulate in Dubai said in an advisory issued on Thursday night.
“Organisations, who wish to organise a general chartered flight, are advised not to accept ticket charges or other charges, from the passengers till final approval is conveyed by the consulate for such flight(s),” the mission said in the advisory posted on social media.
“Similarly, the general public is also advised not to pay money to anyone who promises a seat on a flight till they get information about final approval for the same from the consulate,” the advisory stated.
The consulate said it will publish the list of general chartered flights which have been approved by the government of India before the departure of such flights on its website and on it social media handles.
Quarantine cost
The cost for the chartered flights as well as seven days’ institutional quarantine for the passengers should be borne by the organisation or company hiring the chartered flight, the advisory said.
As first reported by Gulf News, the Indian government recently issued notifications allowing chartered flights by companies to send back their workers to India as well as allowing agencies, community and organsiations to organise chartered flights to send back stranded people to India.
Only those registered with the Indian missions in the flight’s country of origin can be carried on the flight, Gulf News had reported.
Approvals for any such chartered flights are required to be obtained from both relevant agencies of government of India as well as the state governments where the destination airports are situated.
In its latest advisory, the Indian Consulate said due to the pandemic situation, such flights will be phased out and their number will be limited.
The mission said organisations, companies or the people wishing of returning back to India are required to ensure that all passengers are registered at the consulate website www.cgidubai.gov.in
The consulate has published two forms for sending a tentative passenger manifest to the consulate on email cgoffice.dubai@mea.gov.in for chartering any flight.
The mission added that approvals for the chartered flights would take time and should be planned while giving a sufficient notice of about one week.