Emotional scenes were on display at the Ahmedabad Airport on Monday as the first British Airways flight took off from Ahmedabad Airport with 265 British Nationals on board. A 16-year-old medical student flying back with joyous smile on face and elderly UK nationals expressing relief and gratitude was for all to see. None of this would have been possible but for the superbly coordinated effort of Ahmedabad Airport Director Manoj Gangal, who stood quietly by soaking in the emotions.
He not just threw open the Ahmedabad Airport for its first international flight since the lockdown but also ensured that the health checks, security checks, immigration and boarding was performed smoothly. Gangal coordinated with the British High Commission besides the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the customs and immigration authorities to ensure that the flight takes off smoothly from the Ahmedabad airport.
Praising his efforts, Deployment Officer at British High Commission in Delhi David French said, “We wish to place on record our thanks to the Ahmedabad Airport Director Manoj Gangal who opened the Ahmedabad Airport specially for these flights. Without the help of the airport director, these flights would not have been possible.” “The British High Commission informed us that there were about 3,000 UK nationals in Ahmedabad and across Gujarat that needed to be flown back. Once the permission from the Ministry of Civil Aviation came, we pooled in all our resources to complete the task,” Manoj Gangal said. Two more flights are expected to operate from Ahmedabad airport on Wednesday and Friday. Each will ferry approximately 300 passengers.
On Friday 10th April, the FCO in collaboration with the Indian government announced chartered flights for Britons stranded in Amritsar and Ahmedabad. Flights will repatriate Britons from Amritsar to London on 13th, 17th, and 19th April. To make your booking visit here: https://etm.eventsair.com/uk-government-charter-india/fco-744-amritsar-charter/Site/Register
Whereas direct flights from Ahmedabad to London will operate on 13th and 15th April with another flight from Hyderabad via Ahmedabad to London scheduled on 17thApril. Visit here to book your seat: https://etm.eventsair.com/uk-government-charter-india/fco-835-charter-ahmedabad/Site/Register
Assembly Member Navin Shah and councillor Rekha Shah who have been stranded in India after visiting the country for a family funeral have welcomed the UK government's recent decision. In a statement to Asian Voice, Navin Shah said,
"We are pleased to have received confirmation of booking on Virgin Airlines flight on 12th April to Mumbai. Can barely wait to get home and be (remotely) united with our family and friends. Home Sweet Home,"
The announcement follows after hundreds of thousands of Britons stranded in India due to coronavirus lockdown appealed to the UK government to bring them home. From running out of their prescribed NHS medicines to shortage of food supply and in some instances finding themselves being forced to evacuate their hotel premises, these British nationals had no other resort but to return home even under these difficult circumstances.
