‘Have no cash to book flight home from US’
MUMBAI: A Byculla resident living in New Jersey, USA, who was laid off in March, has written to the Indian embassy in New York, requesting a waiver on his airfare to Mumbai, so that he can return before his employment authorisation document (work permit) expires.
Aliasgar Merchant, a blockchain developer, said he does not have enough money to buy Air India’s “expensive” $1,361 (₹1,02,929) ticket to fly back under the Vande Bharat Mission. Merchant is waiting to hear from the embassy so that he can leave before July 12, when his work permit expires, to avoid staying illegally in the US.
In March, Merchant was retrenched due to losses suffered by his company during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and has since been looking for employment opportunities. However, unable to find a job, he has exhausted all his savings. Merchant had gone to the US in 2017 to pursue a master’s degree in information technology and was working there since.
“I am currently in no position to pay my rent for July. My work permit expires on July 12 since I have not yet found a job,” said Merchant. “When I initially approached the Indian Consulate in New York, my name was recommended on the flight scheduled to leave for Mumbai on June 29. However, Air India asked me to pay $1,361 for the flight ticket and directed me to contact the Indian embassy/consulate if I wanted the ticket charges to be waived due to my financial crisis,” said Merchant
Last week, Merchant tweeted for help to the Indian embassy in New York when he was told that the airline could not waive the ticket charges.
“I also emailed the embassy on Friday, asking for help on humanitarian grounds, so that I can return to Mumbai. I am now hoping that the authority can help me return on any of the flights before July 12,” he added.
The US Consulate General of India in New York reverted to Merchant on Sunday night and asked him to submit his bank statement and salary slip. The email accessed by HT read, “In order to consider your case, you are requested to forward your bank statement for the last three months .... last three months pay stub before you lost the job. Once the same is received at our end, your case will be considered.”
While a handful of flights are scheduled to arrive in Delhi from San Francisco and New York’s John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport as part of the fourth phase of Vande Bharat Mission, more departing flights have been scheduled to these destinations. However, only three flights are scheduled to arrive from Newark to Mumbai in the fourth phase on July 4, 6, and 8.