Vande Bharat Mission: Hong Kong bans Air India flights over COVID-19 related issues

The Air India flights, that were bringing back Indians strangled abroad, under the Vande Bharat Mission, have been banned by the government authorities of Hong Kong over COVID-19 related issues.

"Fly AI: Important Update--Due to resitrictions imposed by Hong Kong authorities, AI 310/315, Delhi--Hong Kong-- Delhi of August 18, 2020 stands postponded. Next update in this regard will be intimidated soon. Passengers may contact Air India Customer Care for assistance,"said a tweet by Air India. 

Earlier last week, the Consulate General of India in Hong Kong announced that Air India was planning to operate two Vande Bharat Mission Flights to Delhi on August 18 and 21. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on August 10 announced that nearly one million stranded Indians have returned through various modes under the Vande Bharat Mission. 

Vande Bharat Mission: What is it all about?

The Vande Bharat Mission was launched by the government of India on 7 May 2020, to bring back the Indians who were stuck in other nations due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions that were imposed by various governments across the world. The first phase of the mission, operated about eighty-four flights across various parts of the world, rescuing Indians.

The first flight that had operated as a part of the mission was an Air India Express flight IX-0452 between Abu Dhabi, in UAE and Kochi, in India. The first flight to the Chinese city had been operated by Air India Express, on August 4, in the fifth phase of the mission. Currently, phase 5 of the mission is in transit. The phase had begun on the 1st of August and the first flight in the same had operated between Yeravan, in Armenia and Delhi, in India. Until August 17, about 3.738 inbound and outbound flights had been operated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA). 

(with inputs from ANI)