“Why MFAT could not arrange for a mercy flight in the southern part of India,” asks many frustrated stranded-Kiwis

A group of about 107 Kiwis stranded in different parts of the southern parts of India are exasperated by the explicit inability of the MFAT in giving them a fair chance to catch the charter flight home. 

As reported earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is undertaking an evacuation plan in India - which by its own admission is one of the most complex and comprehensive evacuation plans for overseas stranded Kiwis and had so far arranged for potentially three flights catering the north and the central region of India only - leaving nothing on the itinerary for those stranded in the vast Southern region of India. 

The Indian Weekender has been in constant contact with many such Kiwis stranded in the southern part of India who are equally keen to get back home, if not more than the others who have been lucky enough to be stranded in the northern or central regions of India and be served by at least one charter flight back home from proximity. 

“It’s not fair that the Kiwis stranded in the vast Southern region could not be offered an option of at least one return flight from any of the four prominent international airports in the region,” Pooja Shah, one such Kiwi stranded in Chennai asked exasperatingly. 

Pooja Shah (Image supplied)

Notably, the Southern region of India has four prominent international airports - Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), Bangalore (Karnataka) and Thiruvanthapuram (Kerala). 

Pooja has been coordinating with most of the other stranded Kiwis, primarily in these four major cities in the Southern part of India, told the Indian Weekender that they were scattered all around the region 41 in Kerala, 26 in Tamil Nadu, 20 in Karnataka and 17 in Andhra Pradesh. 

“We could have easily travelled to any one of these local regions if one of the special flight homes could have been scheduled in this part as well,” Pooja said. 

Many stranded Kiwis coordinating within themselves on social media have argued that their numbers (107) are more than 61 stranded Kiwis in Peru from where earlier MFAT has arranged a similar mercy flight. 

MFAT arranges for connecting buses for stranded Kiwis from the deep south

Meanwhile, MFAT has reached out again to several Kiwis stranded in the southern part of Indi and have expressed their interest to catch charter flights with details of the new arrangement for a bus connection to the nearest airport - Mumbai - from where a charter flight home is scheduled. 

“If you selected Bangalore or Hyderabad as your closest airport: we will be running buses from these cities to connect to the flight from Mumbai. If accepted for the flight, our High Commission in New Delhi will organise transport from your place of residence to Bangalore or Hyderabad to connect with these buses. We understand that some people may not wish to undertake such a long journey to the airport. Please think about it. If you are in or near Bangalore or Hyderabad and would like to be considered for a seat on the Mumbai flight, please send a short email to DM-CONS@mfat.govt.nz, including your EOI application number," the new email said. 

This is not a viable option for many of us as the bus journey from Chennai to Mumbai is 23 hours and from Kerala to Mumbai even more. Many of us have infant, kids, a pregnant lady and people with a recent heart and knee surgery and taking such a long journey on the bus may not be an option,” another stranded Kiwi said.