Bengaluru: The United Kingdom will fly out 4,000 more Brits, stranded amid extended lockdown across India, by 17 charter flights from six cities, including Bengaluru, from Monday to April 27, said a top diplomat, here on Sunday.
"About 4,000 more Brits will fly out of 6 Indian cities to London during this week, as they were stranded since the lockdown was enforced on March 25, with international flights suspended," UK acting High Commissioner Jan Thompson said.
The first flight from Bengaluru will take off on Monday, followed by another on April 23, which will fly the Brits stranded in Karnataka via Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
The 21-day lockdown was extended by the government up to May 3 to contain the coronavirus spread in the country.
The charter aircraft will fly from Ahmedabad on April 20, 22, 24 and 26; Amritsar on April 21, 23, 25 and 27; New Delhi on April 21, 23, 25 and 27; Goa on April 20, 22 and 24 and Mumbai on April 26.
"Among the Brits, most vulnerable will fly first, followed by those who booked early and waitlisted passengers," said the statement.
Brits who registered needn't take any action at this stage. If they get a seat, they will be contacted by the CTM (Corporate Travel Management) with information about their flight. "We are working to arrange more flights from locations where large number of Brits are stranded," said Thompson.
About 3,000 Brits have flown to London in 12 charted flights from five South Indian cities -- Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram -- since April 13.
Earlier, 2,000 Brits were flown from Goa, Mumbai and New Delhi in seven charter flights between April 8 and April 12.
"India is a priority country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to arrange charter flights from, with a large number of Brits wanting to return in the absence of commercial flights and curbs on movement due to lockdown," Thompson said.
The charter flights are for Brits who resided in Britain and their direct dependents.
As movement within India is restricted, those eligible to fly will be sent information on how to get to airports and flight itineraries directly when their seat is confirmed. Details on luggage allowance, flight costs and carriers are on the booking portal.
Thompson lauded the Indian government for help to get stranded Britishers home soon, as it was a priority for his government.
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