Doha: Three special flights are scheduled on Tuesday to bring Indian nationals stranded in Qatar back home after major flight disruptions in the Middle East.
The flights are expected to operate from Doha to New Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi. The arrangements were made after hundreds of passengers were left stranded in Qatar due to the ongoing regional tensions that disrupted international air travel.
Many of the affected travellers were transit passengers whose connecting flights were cancelled after several countries in the region closed or restricted their airspace. The situation followed escalating conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel, which has severely affected airline operations across the Middle East.
Officials said that evacuation efforts have already helped several Indians return safely. Over the past three days nearly one thousand Indian nationals have travelled back to India from Doha on special and limited flights arranged by airlines.
Earlier a Qatar Airways flight carried more than three hundred Indian passengers from Doha to New Delhi as part of the effort to clear the backlog of stranded travellers.
The Indian embassy in Doha has been coordinating with airlines and local authorities to assist passengers. It has also asked Indians who are still stranded to register their details and stay in contact with airlines for updated travel information.
Indian community groups and volunteers in Qatar have also stepped in to support passengers who were waiting for flights.
Authorities said efforts will continue to ensure that all stranded Indian travellers are able to return home safely as airline operations gradually resume in the region.