Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed on Sunday that Air India’s repatriation flights for its citizens in the Gulf wishing to return home in view of coronavirus disruptions will be extended into its Phase V from Aug.1, 2020.

The Ministry released a limited schedule for these flights for a six-day period ending on Aug.6, 2020.

However, they will touch down at airports which were not included in the previous phases, representing an expansion in repatriations.

In the UAE, these flights will pick up Indians from Sharjah and also bring back passengers of certain categories from India to Sharjah.

In the entire Gulf, the repatriation will cover airports in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, in addition to Sharjah.

A more detailed schedule including flights by other Indian carriers such as Air India Express and some private airlines in Phase V is being finalised and is expected to be released before Aug.1, 2020, when the new schedules go into effect.

Air India clarified that domestic flights announced tonight as part of the Phase V repatriation schedule will not accommodate domestic passengers.

They are meant exclusively for arrivals on "Vande Bharat" repatriation programme to be connected to destinations within India.

WAM