Combating coronavirus: Lucknow flight from UAE mostly carries urgent cases

After two successful days, the journey home for stranded Indian citizens continued into Saturday, May 9.

One more special repatriation flight, carrying stranded passengers departed for Lucknow on May 9.

The flight that was scheduled to depart at 3.15 pm saw passengers coming in as early as 10:00am to complete all formalities.

The flight apparently carried 180 passengers and 2 infants on board. Of these more than 100 are workers, 8 pregnant women, 19 medical cases, 10 elderly, 2 students and others.

The Indian government on Monday had announced plans to begin phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7.

Speaking to Khaleej Times many passengers shared their reasons to get back home on these special flights.

Elderly couple happy to return home after 5 months

Sharad Avasthi, 66, and his wife Shikha, 62, are heaving a sigh of relief as they go back to their hometown Lucknow. While the couple had been touring the Gulf since January 15, their plans went haywire due to the disruptions caused by Covid-19 pandemic.

The Lucknow resident says, "We have been out since January 15. We went to Oman and other places nearby but when we came here, we were forced to stay put - luckily at our daughter's place. We were due to leave in the beginning of April but that didn't happen due to flight suspensions."

He adds, "We both have age-related ailments. We ran out of our stock of medicines around one-and-a-half months back. Our visas have also expired. We got in touch with the embassy and explained our situation to them. We thank both governments that these flights have been organised. It brings people like us the much-needed relief."

Many are hopeful about a return

26-year old Priyanka Jaiswal is optimistic that she will return to the UAE. Hailing from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, she had barely worked for 10 months at a beach resort in RAK when she had to leave.

Although she is forced to go back without a job, Priyanka says, "I hope whenever things improve after Covid-19 crisis, I can come back again. I love the UAE. It's so safe and feels like home. I am heartbroken to leave now, but I am looking forward to returning once my former employees resume their business. The hotel industry has been impacted badly. But I am most certain they will contact me when the situation improves."

Similarly, Sandeep Singh, along with his wife and 18-month-old son, is forced to leave the UAE for good. Sandeep, a resident of Sharjah Industrial Area II, used to work as a software engineer. But due to the unfortunate turn of events triggered by Covid-19 crisis, he had to wind up everything.

He says, "It was getting difficult to sustain my family without a job. We are facing severe financial crisis. I also have ailing parents back home and we better go back to Gorakhpur from Lucknow and take care of them and look for a job in India. When the situation improves, I'll try coming back to the UAE."

Passengers eager to join their ailing family members

Vandana Cecil is desperate to get back to her hometown Lucknow now. Her mother is a fourth stage cancer patient and she is counting hours before she can be with her mother, once the 14-day quarantine period is over.

She says, "I am counting hours, in fact, minutes, before I can see her. She is critical and on the ventilator now. I was visiting a relative in the UAE and little did I know that I will get stuck here."

Problems compounded for families who fell sick while visiting

Shehzab Khan has been through very hard times in the last few months. The man in his late 20s, along with his parents, came from Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh to UAE to visit his sister. Little did they realise the lockdown in India would leave them stranded here. But matters got worse when his 55-year-old father, who suffers from hypertension, fell severely ill.

Shehzab says, "His BP shot up to 230 suddenly. It went up so high that he had to be admitted to the ICU in Medeor Hospital. A string of treatments followed and mounting costs ensued. We were here on a visit and have no insurance. My father still needs further treatment. We are so glad that the repatriation flights have started; we had been eagerly waiting for it."

Many return empty handed

Sunil Kushvaha, a carpenter, arrived in UAE looking for a job. He says he paid Rs55,000 to an agent to get in the UAE - a place where he always wanted to be. But all his hopes have been dashed and the money gone down the drain.

He says, "I landed here in December. Initially, I was hopeful that I will find a job. But then Covid-19 pandemic happened and everything went for a toss. It's been five months now that I have been jobless. I have a wife, three children and old parents to support back home. I have been surviving with the assistance of my friends and some charity groups. I barely have money now. I don't know what will I do once I get back to my village near Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh."

Pregnant women returning

Shiv Pandey is accompanying his 3-month pregnant wife Ria, and his two other children, who were headed to Lucknow this afternoon in the repatriation flight from Sharjah.

Shiv said, "I will pray that we all continue to be fine. My family was visiting me here, but now their visas have expired. My wife certainly needs to travel back now as travelling later for her may become more difficult. I am thankful to the UAE government and the government of India for organising these special flights as many like my family who have similar issues, are looking forward to getting back home at the earliest."

nandini@khaleejtimes.com