2,800 from abroad back in Karnataka

BENGALURU: With an Air India flight from San Francisco landing at

Kempegowda International

Airport, Bengaluru at 9:20am on Friday with 109

passengers

on board, more than 2,800 passengers have returned to Karnataka from foreign countries so far under the

Vande Bharat mission

.


All those who have returned have gone straight to quarantine facilities across the state. Under Phase 2, 16

flights

will land in Karnataka between May 17 and June 3, bringing back Indians from 12 countries -- Malaysia, Dammam, US, Jakarta, Australia, Canada, Philippines, France, Ireland, Dubai, Qatar and Oman. Fifteen of these will land at KIA.

“It feels so good to be finally back in Bengaluru after a 22-hour journey,” said Suma Rao, who arrived from San Francisco. She had gone to the US to meet her daughter much before travel restrictions kicked in.

“On board, we were given a Covid-19 combat kit in included face shields, face masks and sanitisers,” Rao said. “At KIA, our luggage was first sanitized before passengers were let to disembark in groups of 20. At the Bengaluru airport, we were thoroughly screened before being taken to the quarantine hotel, where we were again screened. The health department has told us that we will also get tested soon.”

As of the Friday morning, more than 12,000 Indians returned on 61 flights operated by Air India and

Air India Express

, while more than 3,000 flew out of India. On May 14, 1,390 Indians returned on eight flights. Last month, the state government said there are 10,823 people from Karnataka stranded abroad.