Airlines join government to bring back stranded Indians from UAE
More than 7,000 Indians were brought back from the United Arab Emirates in just three days, thanks to a big push by airlines and government support.
Etihad Airways said it would resume limited services to five Indian cities (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai), while IndiGo and SpiceJet pitched in with special repatriation services; SpiceJet operated flights from Fujairah (and Ras Al Khaimah), while IndiGo operated repatriation flights to/from various Middle East airports.
Air India Express resumed and expanded services to/from Muscat, adding extra flights between Muscat and Indian cities.
Government steps up, approves special flights
With over 19,000 flights canceled in West Asia since late February, thousands of people were stranded.
The Indian government stepped up, approving dozens of special flights and setting up helplines that have already handled over 1,400 complaints.
For anyone stuck far from home or following friends' journeys online, it's a reminder of how much teamwork goes into getting people safely back when travel plans fall apart.