Social Club facilitates repatriation charters

Salalah: A community club in Salalah is working on the possibility of engaging charter flights to facilitate the repatriation of Indians stranded in the Dhofar Governorate. The club is exploring the service in the wake of travel restrictions imposed because of the Coronavirus pandemic. The first charter flight arranged by the Indian Club in Salalah is being considered for Kochi either on June 26 or 27, depending upon the standard approval from the governments of Oman and India. Others would be arranged based on demand and destination. Manpreet Singh, Chairman Indian Social Club Salalah, said the Club is exploring charter facilities based on demand for a particular destination. “We received requests for Kochi and as of now 175 passengers have confirmed seats.” “The Club has roped in SpiceJet for the charter service and depending upon demand for other destinations in India the flights would be arranged,” he said. As of now seven repatriation flights have left Salalah Airport for the Indian state of Kerala. Five among them were under the Vande Bharat repatriation programme of the Government of India, while two were private charters arranged by the Kerala based organisations called ICF and KMCC. Three of the Vande Bharat flights took passengers to Kannur, while the other two were for Calicut and Kochi respectively. Both the private charters had passengers for Calicut. Two more charter flights arranged by the KMCC are scheduled for Kochi and Kannur on Wednesday. Intending to accommodate people from the maximum number of places in India, the Indian Club is exploring combined flights for two destinations depending upon necessary approvals, said the Club chairman.