India will send extra flights to Qatar to assist expats hit by blockade

The Indian government has asked two domestic carriers to run extra flights to Doha to ensure no expats are stranded following a Saudi-led blockade of the country earlier this month.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab & agencies

22 June, 2017

Air India and commercial carrier Jet Airways will run extra flights to Doha. [Getty]

The Indian government has asked two domestic carriers to run extra flights to Doha to ensure no Indians are stranded by a Saudi-led blockade of the country imposed earlier this month.

India's civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said the government had asked state-owned Air India and commercial carrier Jet Airways to run extra flights to and from Doha between June 22 and July 8.

"We'll operate additional flights… for our citizens not able to get tickets at Doha," Raju wrote on Twitter.

Tens of thousands of Indian migrants travel home from Qatar ahead of the Eid holiday, but many have struggled to book tickets since Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates banned Qatar's national airline from using their airspace.

"All steps necessary for timely movement of our citizens from Doha will be ensured," Raju added.

A senior Indian foreign ministry official told AFP that extra commercial flights were being run to "facilitate movement of those who wish to travel to India but cannot do that via Qatar's neighbouring countries".

Earlier this month, India defied the blockade imposed on the gas-rich state, directing ships to drop anchor in Qatar's Hamad Port without having to stop anywhere else in the Gulf region.

The new route links Hamad Port in Qatar with Mundra and Nhava Sheva ports in India.

Qatar has been looking to break the blockade imposed on it by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, blocking several of Qatar's usual land and maritime freight routes.

Flights have been affected by its Gulf neighbours refusing to let Qatar-based carriers use their airspace.