SpiceJet will operate special evacuation flights from Kosice in Slovakia on 3rd and 4th of March to bring home Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine. Meanwhile, similar flights will be operated from Bucharest in Romania on 4th and 6th March, the company said. The airline will use its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for these flights.
A total of 16 flights have already brought back stranded Indian nationals from Ukraine till today.
Meanwhile, the Centre has informed that as many as 31 evacuation flights will be operated to bring back 6,300 citizens from the easter European nation. Under "Operation Ganga", Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Indian Air Force will be operated for the evacuees.
Air India Express and SpiceJet planes have reportedly a capacity for around 180 people while Air India and IndiGo can carry up to 250 and 216 passengers, respectively. News agency PTI, citing sources said that 21 evacuation flights will be operated to bring back Indians from Bucharest in Romania, 4 will be from Budapest in Hungary, another four flights will be operated to bring back people from Rzeszow in Poland, and one flight from Kocise in Slovakia. The IAF will be bringing back Indians from Bucharest.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has also been pressed in the evacuation exercise after Prime Minister chaired the third high-level meeting on the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
Two Indian Air Force aircraft took off for Romania and Hungary from the Hindon airbase to bring back Indians stranded in Ukraine today. Indian Air Force aircraft are carrying tents, blankets and other humanitarian aid.
