Expats disappointed as repatriation flight from Doha to Kerala capital is cancelled

For 180 odd Keralites who reached Doha airport on Sunday morning er to return home it turned out to be a disappointing day with Air India Express repatriation flight being cancelled and rescheduled as permission for landing in Qatar capital was t given.

flight, which was to have left from Karipur Airport in Kozhikode to airlift passengers from Doha and bring m here,h t been given landing permission from Interior Ministry of Qatar following which it has been cancelled, Thiruvananthapuram District Collector K Gopalakrishnan said.

"It has been re-scheduled for Tuesday. We are in regular contact with Indian embassy," he told reporters here. All 181 passengers, including 15 pregnant women and children,h alrey reached Doha airport by 11 am to take flight as y were directed.

According to Revathy, a passenger booked on cancelled flight, it was disappointing y could t take flight after long wait. Only after relatives of some passengers from Kerala called m and enquired, Doha airport officials told m that flight h been cancelled, she told a television channel.

India has started repatriation of its citizens stranded in various countries, especially expatriates from Kerala in Gulf nations, since Friday and around 1,500 people have alrey arrived in state by air and sea route. In anticipation of arrival of flight, airport and district authoritieshere conducted thirdmock drill on

Sunday morningand completed all preparations to receive passengers from Qatar, returning home after being stranded re due to coronavirus lockdown. collector said y h t received details, as of w, on why landing permissionh t been received.

flight was to have left from Kozhikode airport around 1.30 pm to Doha and reach state capital at 10.45 pm. Meanwhile, Congress MP oor Prakash shot off a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stating that last minute cancellation of flight was "disappointing".

" reason for last minute moment cancellation of this flight is t clear. It is very disappointing for our citizens including, pregnant women and those who require immediate treatment" stranded in Qatar," Prakash said in letter. He also wanted immediate steps for operation of flight from Doha without furr delay.

Im Credits: PTI