By Arun Kumar
US persons eligible to fly on Air India, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa evacuation flights.
After suspending its own repatriation flights for stranded Americans in India, the US has again advised them to take advantage of evacuation flights run by Air India, Air France, KLM, and Lufthansa to return home.
US persons are eligible to travel on these flights. the American Embassy said in a travel advisory noting Air India continues to add commercial evacuation flights departing from India to international destinations, including the US.
Tickets for flights departing India from June 10 to July 1 will go on sale on June 5, at 5:00 pm IST ( 7:30 a.m EDT), it said citing Indian media reports,
In addition, Air France, KLM, and Lufthansa are now offering unscheduled commercial flights to European cities where there are connecting flights to the United States.
Interested travelers should contact airlines directly regarding these flights, not the US Mission or other foreign missions in India, the embassy said.
RELATED: American Bazaar’s Covid-19 coverage
The US Embassy in New Delhi and US Consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai, have evacuated nearly 6,000 US citizens from multiple locations in India in recent months.
The US Mission in India arranged to repatriate US persons on 25 international flights and several feeder flights and buses.
As no further flights of this kind are planned, the embassy urged US persons desiring to depart India to take advantage of the nonscheduled commercial flights available through Air India, Air France, KLM, and Lufthansa.
“Persistence pays, and bookings remain available right now,†the embassy said assuring US citizens that the State Department has no higher priority than their safety and security.
ALSO READ: Seven more U.S.-India evacuation flights in second phase (May 15, 2020)
It also advised them to continue to monitor its social media and their STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) account.
The embassy said it would issue alerts to additional commercial flights as they become available.
READ MORE: Covid-19: 11 more US-India evacuation flights from May 28 (May 26, 2020)
Distressed to get priority on Indian evacuation flights (May 25, 2020)
With few takers, US ends repatriation flights from India (May 20, 2020)