CIAL handled 322 arrival relief flights in three phases of Vande Bharat mission

Since the beginning of the Vande Bharat Mission on May 7, a total of 322 repatriation flights carrying 55,293 passengers have landed at Cochin International airport till June 30.

Kochi: Cochin International airport on Thursday said it handled 322 arrival relief flights during the three phases of Vande Bharat Mission evacuating 55,293 passengers till June 30 during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The airport has a reason to smile amid the grim situation as it received flights from countries that were intact in pre-pandemic years, a Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) statement said.

The very first flight of the Vande Bharat Mission in the country had arrived at CIAL on May 7.

"Till June 30, the airport received 322 repatriation flights (640 movements) which together brought in 55,293 passengers. Air India and Air India Express carried out more than 100 relief operations," it said.

Besides repatriation flight operations carried out by Air India Express and Airlines like Qatar Airways, Kuwait Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air, Jazeera, Saudia, Fly Dubai from GCC countries, Air India operated special flights from San Francisco and Chicago in the US and Paris, London, Armenia and Moscow in Europe, Cebu in The Philippines, Ho-Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Djibouti in Africa.

Apart from these British Airways and Swiss Air joined the repatriation drive for transporting their citizens from Kochi and Qatar Airways and Saudia operated special departed flights for transporting as many as 1500 medical professionals from Kerala to various hospitals in respective countries, the statement said.

During this period CIAL hosted Air Peace from Nigeria, Air Malta from the Republic of Malta, Somon air from Tajikistan, DAT Air from Denmark, Air Astana from Tajikistan, Iraq Airways from Iraq, Salam Air from Oman, Maldivian from Male, Ethiopian From Ethiopia, Onur Air from Moldova and Azur air from Ukraine, it said.

"Since May 25, when the Ministry of Civil Aviation permitted calibrated operations in the domestic sector, CIAL handled 822 arrival/departure operations. 38,112 domestic passengers arrived at the airport and 30,033 departed," it added.

PTI