• Home

Amnesty seekers free to travel by any airline: DNRD

Colonel Saeed Mattar bin Bleilah, DNRD Director, said that the authorities were not asking any amnesty seeker to fly a particular airline.

"All tickets are acceptable to us and we have no reservations about any airline. We are interested only in the departure of illegal residents before the expiry of the amnesty period," Col. Bin Bleilah told Khaleej Times.

The allegation that some tickets issued by Air India and Indian Airlines were torn up by counter-staff were conveyed to him by Indian diplomats. The DNRD director asked those making such claims to come forward with proof so that action could be taken if anyone was found having done such a thing.

"It is not true that policemen and immigration officials stationed at places designated for amnesty procedures on DNRD premises for women and the temporary detention centre for men are tearing up tickets issued to Indian amnesty seekers by IA and AI."

He said that a country which respected people staying on its soil "would not resort to such a behaviour which serves no purpose at all." Even illegal residents were allowed to leave with dignity and respect despite the fact that they had broken the country's rules and regulations, he added.

"Every country gives priority to its national carrier. Despite having the right to do so we are not forcing amnesty seekers to fly Emirates. We are rather leaving the matter to them," Col. Bin Bleilah said.

Some Indian illegals availing of amnesty have claimed that they were not being allowed to take Indian Airlines or Air India flights to return home.

They alleged that DNRD officials had told them to get Emirates or Gulf Air tickets.

This, it was stated, had left hundreds of amnesty seekers in a quandary since they had already purchased tickets from Air India or Indian Airlines counters that had been set up inside the special amnesty section of the Indian Consulate. Both IA and AI are offering a special discounted fare to amnesty seekers.

M.S. who booked an Indian Airlines ticket on the Sharjah-Cochin sector, alleged he had to cancel his seat following the authorities' refusal to allow him to fly any other airline other than Emirates or Gulf Air.

In the past one week, both the airlines have witnessed many cancellations. Haridas Malishari alleged he got his IA ticket from Sharjah to Trivandrum cancelled and booked on Emirates. H.M. made a similar claim and said he got his Dubai-Jaipur ticket refunded and decided to travel by Emirates to Delhi and then take a train to his hometown in Rajasthan.

A representative at the IA counter inside the Indian Consulate said: "We are urging amnesty seekers to keep their tickets, because we are optimistic that the issue will be resolved. Tickets are being refunded only for those who are in a hurry to leave the country."

Indian Consul General Dr George Joseph said a team comprising Indian diplomats had held a series of meetings with DNRD officials and with Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates and President of Dubai Civil Aviation, last week to find a solution to this problem.

"The authorities have been receptive and we hope that the issue will be resolved soon."

• UAE