Video: Stranded residents from India arrive as repatriation flights land in UAE

After a four-month long wait, scores of stranded residents in India have begun their journey home to the UAE today.

The first Air India flight, AI1975, from Delhi, landed at Sharjah International Airport at 10.30 am on Sunday morning, said a senior Air India official in Dubai.

Photos: Stranded residents from #India arrive as first #repatriation flight lands in #UAEhttps://t.co/UjQEEE4GcB

(Video by Juidin Bernard/ Khaleej Times) pic.twitter.com/BRTQVdfpsx
- Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) July 12, 2020

After months of anxious waiting, #UAE expats stranded in #India return to their homes in #Dubai https://t.co/UjQEEE4GcB
(Video: Dhanusha Gokulan/KT) pic.twitter.com/whm0ircu5H
- Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) July 12, 2020

At least three flights have already departed from the Indian cities of Delhi, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, as of 10.50am, revealed expat groups and in-flight passengers.
More flights are expected to take off during the course of the day, according to airlines and travel agents
Indian expats to return to UAE from July 12: List of flights
Emirates Airlines flight EK511 from Delhi to Dubai will be one of the first to land in the emirate later this afternoon, according to Mohit Mulchandani, an expat who assists stranded Indians on the Facebook and WhatsApp support group 'UAE residents in India'.

In a message to passengers travelling on July 12, Mulchandani said, "For all those who fly today, we are so proud of you for having held so long and now making a move back home. You shall be our travel warriors since you took on the responsibility of being the first to go through the complicated process of our return."
Also read: Stranded Indian expats rush to get back on first flights to UAE

According to an Air India Express official, IX 738 from Thiruvananthapuram is expected to land in Dubai at 12.55pm today.

Last week, India's Ministry of Civil Aviation announced that UAE residents with valid ICA and GDFRA approvals, and Covid-19 negative test results, who are currently stuck in India, can fly back to the emirates on charter flights organised by UAE carriers as well as the Indian government's Vande Bharat Mission flights for a period of 15 days starting today (July 12).
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com
 

Photo by Juidin Bernard/ Khaleej Times

Photos by Juidin Bernard/ Khaleej Times

• Dubai
• India

Dhanusha Gokulan

• dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com