182 arrive home from Sharjah on AI flight
LUCKNOW : After a lull of almost 45 days, the Chaudhary Charan Singh airport here was once again abuzz with activity on Saturday evening, with the arrival of 182 passengers from Sharjah on an Air India Express flight at 9.06 pm.
The Airport Authority of India staff welcomed the passengers with a smile, albeit following the rule of social distancing at the same time.
Due to strict social distancing norms, it took longer for passengers to come out of the terminal. The AAI staff ensured smooth check-out of passengers , all of whomm were screenedat the airport.
The building of the international terminal was sanitised twice before landing of the aircraft .
All the passengers were offered mandatory paid quaratine facility in four sections . These passengers will have to pay a nominal amount for staying in hotels booked for them. They would be allowed to stay in these hotels with their families and on the campus of an educational institute specially taken for the purpose, said district magistrate Abhishek Prakash .
The passengers will have to dole out between Rs 800 per day to Rs 3500 per day for a family. This package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner .
The DM said, “Proper sanitisation of airport building was ensured by LMC and runway was prepared by AAI authorities prior to the landing of the flight.”
The passengers have to pay their own fares. They are being tested before boarding flights, according to Wamiq Ali, a passenger.
Another passenger Ashfaq Ansari said , “After landing I thanked Almighty Allah for bringing me to my homeland . I am thankful to the government for brining us here.”
The passengers were taken to the quarantine facities in 10 luxury buses .
Some of the passengers kissed the ground after coming out of aircraft . They thanked the government for arranging their evacuation from UAE.
Evacuation of Indians stranded abroad was in full swing now said Sanjay Narayan OSD Lucknow airport.
Nearly 15,000 Indians are expected to return on special Air India flights from 12 countries over the next week.