Air India Brings Back 149 Stranded Passengers from Dubai Amid Middle East Crisis

New Delhi: On Tuesday, Air India brought back 149 stranded passengers in Dubai back to Delhi. This operation was initiated due to the fact that the Middle East crisis was on the rise.

The special flight, AI916D made a safe landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at 10.58 am IST. The plane, VT-EDC, transported Indian nationals who were unable to get home as the areas were disrupted.

The airline said the flight was the first repatriation service operated by an Indian carrier since the crisis escalated. The operation offered a relief to a large number of families who were awaiting the homecoming of their loved ones.

Earlier in the day, another special service, AI918D, evacuated 143 cockpit and cabin crew members of Air India and Air India Express who had also been stranded in Dubai. They came safely to Delhi, and this enabled the airline to put part of its foreign operations on its feet.

Air India reported that its Operational Control Centre and support teams never slept to ensure that such flights were synchronized in such a challenging condition. The airlines collaborated with the aviation bodies and airport managers in ensuring the missions were safe.

The carrier commended the Government of India, the Directorate general of civil Aviation and the authorities of Dubai city who issued the relevant clearances.

Once again, within the statement of reaffirming that safety of passengers and the crew is the highest priority, Air India indicated that it was tracking the developments in the area. The airline keeps in touch with the Dubai Airports and other agencies to introduce other services as soon as the approvals are obtained.

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