Early on Sunday morning, as many as 168 people who were stranded in the Netherlands and other European countries landed at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru from Amsterdam.
They were among the 269 Indians who flew back into the country in SpiceJet’s maiden long-haul charter flight from Amsterdam. The flight arrived at KIA at 8.58 a.m. and proceeded to Hyderabad with the remaining 101 passengers, said SpiceJet in a press release.
Ambassador of India to the Netherlands Venu Rajamony, in a video message, said, “Happy that the first ever SpiceJet flight to Bengaluru and Hyderabad from Amsterdam has reached safely. Passengers have gone on in other connecting flights to other destinations as well,” he said, pointing out that it was the first budget airline to operate from Europe during the pandemic.
In a video message, one passenger thanked the Indian Embassy, various South Indian associations, and SpiceJet for repatriating them. “There were many people who were stranded, including the elderly, pregnant women, those rendered jobless, and those under financial crisis. This was a massive evacuation exercise and it is now our responsibility to take care of ourselves after landing in Bengaluru,” he said.
Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director, SpiceJet, said the maiden long-haul flight from Amsterdam was a historic moment for the airline. “We hope to do many more such flights in the coming days,” he said in the release.
