Air India is looking to operate six repatriation flights from London Heathrow Airport in the coming week. The flights will form part of India's repatriation effort that kicks off on Thursday.The majority of domestic and international flights to, from, and within India have been grounded since late March. However, several repatriation flights have been operated in this period. These flights have had string attached. While many hundreds of thousands of foreigners have been repatriated from India, no citizens have been helped to return to India.

Air India returns to London

Before the current situation, Air India's aircraft were a regular sight at London Heathrow Airport. Indeed, London was a key market for the Indian carrier, as it has added two new routes to London Stansted airport in the past year. However, after over a month since it suspended operations, the Indian carrier will be returning to London Heathrow.

According to Business Traveller, six repatriation flights are currently planned from London Heathrow. One trip per day will take place from the 7th to 12th of May as follows:

  • 7th of May - Mumbai;
  • 8th of May - Bengaluru;
  • 9th of May - Mumbai;
  • 10th of May - Ahmedabad;
  • 11th of May - Chennai;
  • 12th of May - New Delhi.

According to a tweet from the Press Trust of India, the flights from London will set passengers back by 50,000 Indian rupees (£530, $660).

Many flights in the opposite direction

While these will be the first flights to repatriate Indians from London, many flights have been operated in the other direction. While several carriers have been operating flights to repatriate Brits from India, a vast majority have been conducted by British Airways.

Air India, London, Repatriation
British Airways has been operating tens of repatriation flights in the other direction. Photo: Tom Boon - Simple Flying

Indeed, according to FlightRadar24.com data, between the 10th and 23rd of April, British Airways operated 18 direct repatriation flights from Indian destinations, and five circular repatriation flights calling at multiple Indian cities. Meanwhile, during the same time, Virgin Atlantic operated three repatriation flights.

However, Air India has also been helping to repatriate some foreigners stuck in India. Simple Flying previously reported on a series of Air India flights to repatriate Germans to Frankfurt.

Not just Britain

Of course, it won't just be Britain that repatriation flights are operating from. Indeed, the tweet included above explicitly mentions flights from Dhaka. Indian citizens around the world are eager to return to their homeland.

Air India, London, Repatriation
Regular international flights are unlikely to return anytime soon. Photo: Tom Boon - Simple Flying

Initially, the repatriation effort will focus on those requiring urgent assistance, such as the critically ill, elderly, and stranded tourists. If the number of Indian's stranded in the UK is anywhere near the amount of Brits that were stranded in India, many more repatriation flights will still be required.

Are you an Indian citizen stuck abroad? Are you hoping to be repatriated? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.