Vande Bharat Mission: India to operate 9 more flights from UAE

Air India Express will operate flights as part of the Vande Bharat Mission to south Indian cities from Sharjah  

New Delhi: India will operate nine more flights to evacuate its citizens stranded in the UAE due to the travel restrictions imposed in view of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it was announced on Friday (July 3).

Air India Express will operate these flights as part of the Vande Bharat Mission to south Indian cities from Sharjah, according to the Indian Consulate in Dubai.

"All Indian nationals are advised to take note of direct sale of Air India Express flights from Sharjah. Following flights will be opened for sale effective 4 pm UAE Time on July 3. Make sure to book your tickets once the sale is live," the mission announced on Twitter.

The flights scheduled to operate from July 9 to 14 are flying to Madurai, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Kochi and Hyderabad, the Gulf News reported.

"Indian nationals registered with the Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi or the Consulate-General of India in Dubai, fulfilling the required entry conditions can book through Air India Express booking offices or online on www.airindiaexpress.in or through authorised travel agents in the UAE," the statement with the flight details posted on Twitter, said.

"Mentioning of correct passport number and contact number is important. Otherwise, tickets can be cancelled or boarding pass may be denied," the Indian Consulate said.

While 75% of tickets are open for sale, 25% are reserved for those with emergency cases handled by the missions, the report said.