AI to fly home Germans stuck in Kolkata tomorrow

KOLKATA: On Tuesday, a passenger aircraft will touch down at Kolkata airport for the first time since international flight operations were suspended on March 22, followed by domestic flights three days later. Only cargo aircraft have been flying to the city since.
According to sources, an empty Air India Boeing B-787 aircraft will come to Kolkata on Tuesday and pick up German nationals, including the envoy and diplomatic mission staff as well as select staffers of other European missions in the city.The plane will then head to Delhi, where more German citizens and those from other EU nations will board the flight that will then depart for Frankfurt.
“This evacuation flight is one of nine chartered flights that AI will operate from Delhi and Mumbai to Frankfurt, following a request from the German chancellor Angela Merkel to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Following the lockdown, German nationals are stuck in Kolkata, Bengaluru, Goa, Trivandrum, Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai. AI will operate these one-way flights to help them return home,” a source in the national carrier told TOI.
According to airline sources, AI will operate five flights on March 31, one flight on April 1, two on April 2 and the final one on April 3.
With a capacity of 236 seats, the nine B-787 flights can evacuate over 2,000 Europeans. There will be no passenger on the return flights. The crew will wear personal protection equipment (masks and gloves) during the flight and on-board services will be limited to avoid exposure and infection. Sources said pre-packed meals are likely to be kept in the seat pockets for passengers. On their return, the crew will undergo health checks at a hospital before being put in home isolation for two weeks. The evacuation aircraft will also carry hazmat suits in the cockpit for the crew in case any Covid-19 suspect is on board.
Days before India suspended international flights to control the coronavirus spread, entry of flights from EU, the UK and Turkey had been barred. While Germany appears to have an edge in the fight against Covid-19, other countries are still struggling to control the virus and prevent its spread.
While AI has evacuated Indian citizens stranded in Covid-19-affected countries, it has also helped repatriate expats stranded in India. Last week, AI flew 317 Israelis to Tel Aviv. It also operated flights to Colombo and Sharjah to help Lankans and UAE citizens return home.
AI has also being operating cargo charter operations, carrying primarily medical equipment, masks and ventilator kits all over India using its fleet of A-320, B-787 & ATR aircraft.