Air India repatriation flights between India and UK throughout August 2020 (Bookings open July 28, 2 PM IST)

At the speed at which Air India has been operating repatriation flights from/to Europe, they were recently ruffling too many feathers. Air India, which was the sole operator of Vande Bharat flights till a while back, was asked to offload passengers flying from Delhi to Paris because the authorisation was only to repatriate passengers from Paris to India.

The Indian borders are closed till July 31, 2020, for now so regular commercial flights are not possible at the moment from India for any airline. Which means the only way to operate to India is via cargo flights or charters. A third way is to do it via repatriation flights. KLM and Air France have been running some flights for a while now. Hi-Fly will operate a charter to India on August 1. 

Earlier, India granted permission to KLM and Air France for operating 21 flights from India to Europe till the end of July 2020. After that, Air India managed to launch more flights to France. A discussion with the UK is ongoing as well at the moment.

United Kingdom

Air India will operate three times a week flights from India to the United Kingdom in August 2020, twice from Delhi and once from Mumbai.

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Air India will operate three additional flights a week from London Heathrow to India in August 2020 as well.

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Arrival and departure flights are allowed and no restriction on passenger movement. However, when you arrive in the UK, you will have to enable UK Contact Tracing and undergo 14 days of isolation. To travel back to India you need to register here before your flight is booked.  To fly into India, you need to be an Indian national or an OCI Cardholder fulfilling specific requirements.

Booking these flights

These flights will be put up for sale by Air India on their website on July 28 at 2 PM India time (9:30 PM UK Time). You can also book these tickets via Air India ticketing offices, and now, officially, with Travel Agents. This should mean the flights would also be available on OTAs such as MakeMyTrip and so on.


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About Ajay

Ajay Awtaney is the Founder and Editor of Live From A Lounge (LFAL), a pioneering digital platform renowned for publishing news and views about aviation, hotels, passenger experience, loyalty programs, travel trends and frequent travel tips for the Global Indian. He is considered the Indian authority on business travel, luxury travel, frequent flyer miles, loyalty credit cards and travel for Indians around the globe. Ajay is a frequent contributor and commentator on the media as well, including ET Now, BBC, CNBC TV18, NDTV, Conde Nast Traveller and many other outlets.

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Comments

  1. We are in .UK, wanted to return to india, but upto Delhi only Air india operates, we need to go to Chennai, can you please guide the way to reach Chennai, we are senior citizens.

    • You could book an IndiGo/Vistara/Air India whatever airline is operating after your arrival. Just make sure to check quarantine regulations

  2. I am trying since yesterday to book two tickets for my parents from London to Amritsar.They already registered with air india but iI unable to book flight.Can you please help me to book the tickets.
    Thanks

    • Problem is that all tickets are sold out for Aug and yes they did say that older tickets will be adjusted but no more seats available for next month now so frustrating

  3. I want yo got to india from uk with return ticket of next flight because my child is in india.with next flight he will come with me to uk.then in india there is no need of quarantine if we have return ticket.

  4. Since Air India repatriation flights operating from USA to India has no tie up with domestic flight for connectivity in USA then it becomes very difficult for elderly people to travel with baggage and two times baggage checkin when traveling from other city
    Also if one has registered with Indian consulate in USA for repatriation, does he again need to register in Europe for taking connectivity flight from Europe

  5. We, Chhabria, Sr. Citizens, visitors at Atlanta USA have return Lufthansa tickets, but have been stranded for last 5 months due to travel restrictions. Have registered with Indian consulate Washington. No flights from Atlanta and Air India flights have no tie up with USA domestic flights for connectivity and becomes very difficult for elderly people to check in baggage two times.
    So if one has to take repatriation flight from Europe then again one need to register if he has already registered in USA.

  6. Want to know…
    1.do we have to register with Indian embassy?
    2.what is the fare to Delhi.?
    3.we booked and subsequently cancelled the tickets of AI flight repatriation flight on 21th May 2020, refund is ye to recieve, can the remaining amount will be adjusted for booking.

    • Can Balance amount of cancellation tickets of earlier repatriation flight made dated 21May 2020, be adjusted in new booking, as two moths have past and the same has not been refunded.

  7. Will UK’S British Airways also be allowed to fly from india . Is booking started?? And what about the refund policy can I book a new flight even though I have applied for refund instead of which now I want to book a flight????

  8. Like to know do we have to register with Indian embassy before booking our flight on airindia flight to mumbai
    Also what are fares now august flights
    Heathrow to mumbai
    Last was 424 pounds in July
    Please let me know

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