Press release

Thousands more Britons to return to UK on new India charter flights

3,600 more stranded British travellers are set to return home from India on 14 new flights chartered by the UK government.

From:
Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, and The Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP
Published
23 April 2020

Once completed, these additional flights will bring the total number of people flown to the UK from India on government charter flights to over 13,000.

Details of the flights are as follows:

  • Amritsar to the UK on 28, 29, 30 April and 1, 2, 3, 4 May
  • Ahmedabad to the UK on 28, 29 April and 1, 3, 4 May
  • Delhi to the UK on 30 April

The government has now chartered 52 flights from India to bring stranded British travellers home.

There has been a huge demand for these flights, with seats now being allocated to those already registered via the government’s online booking portal - CTM.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:

Travel to and from India is severely restricted and so we have organised a series of charter flights.

Through these 52 UK charter flights, we will have brought back 13,000 people and our staff in India will continue to support all those UK nationals who need our help.

Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

We have already helped over 6,500 people return from India since we began our charter flight programme, with a further 7,000 due to return in the coming weeks.

The 14 new flights announced today bring the total number of UK government charter flights from India to 52.

We are continuing to work around the clock to ensure all British travellers in India are supported to come back to the UK if they wish.

Jan Thompson, Acting High Commissioner to India, said: 

We are extremely grateful for the close and continuing support of the Indian government and airport authorities in facilitating this unprecedented repatriation exercise.

We are continuing to work around the clock to get as many British nationals home as possible.

Since the coronavirus outbreak began, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has worked consistently with governments, air carriers and travel companies to minimise disruption and help British travellers return home safely – supported with £75 million for special charter flights to priority countries, focused on helping the most vulnerable people.

More than 13,200 people have returned to the UK on 63 flights organised by the FCO from 18 different countries and territories, including over 700 from Pakistan, over 1,700 from South Africa and over 1,200 from Peru.

Background

  • the charter flights are for British nationals who normally reside in the UK and their direct dependants
  • details regarding flights, luggage allowance and costs are available on the India Travel Advice page
  • seats on these flights are only available to those already registered and on a waitlist
  • those who are eligible to fly will be sent information on how to get to airports and flight itineraries directly when their seat is confirmed

The British High Commission continues to provide consular support to any British nationals who remain in India. Consular helpline numbers:

  • New Delhi: +91 (11) 2419 2100

  • Chennai: +91 (44) 42192151

  • Mumbai/Goa: +91 (22) 6650 2222

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Published 23 April 2020