Highlights
- Tickets for Air India repatriation flights between India and Australia sold out within minutes
- Australians stranded in India allege tickets were purchased in bulk by travel agents
- Air India is operating two incoming and two outgoing flights as part of Vande Bharat Mission phase 5
On Tuesday, Air India announced it will operate two flights between New Delhi and Adelaide on August 3 and 6, as part of phase 5 of the Indian government’s Vande Bharat Mission.
Although there were just two flights, the announcement gave hope to hundreds of Australians who remain trapped in India because of a limited number of flights that are operating in reduced capacities, owing to the recent capping of international arrivals.
‘Tickets were sold out within minutes’
Rohit Keswani is an Australian citizen stranded in the west Indian state of Gujarat, who has been striving to return to his life in Canberra since March but with no luck.
Speaking to SBS Punjabi, the 38-year-old says he was hopeful of securing a ticket this time until the bookings opened, and the tickets were sold out within minutes.
Rohit Keswani with his dog (L), snapshot of his screen when he was trying to book a ticket. Source: Supplied
“Nothing could have prepared me for today’s booking experience,” he says.
“The tickets were snapped within seconds of appearing online on the Air India website. Initially, I thought, it was just a trick and the airline would release them in batches, but nothing changed.”
Frustrated after trying multiple times, Mr Keswani adds today’s experience exposes the “incompetency” of the national carrier and the “vulnerability” of the people anxious to return home.
“The entire experience has been nothing short of a debacle and exposes the incompetency of the entity in question. People’s lives are at stake. They are anxious and desperate to return home, many are going into depression due to the incompetency of the system,” he adds.
‘Tickets were purchased in bulk by travel agents’
Temporary visa holder Surbhi Kulhan who also failed at her attempt to book a ticket says it is even more frustrating for the likes of her who went through myriads of hurdles to acquire an exemption from Australia’s travel ban and are now battling for a seat on a plane home.
“When I tried, not a single ticket was available which means we never had a chance to secure one at a time when we are being forced to shell out so much money for a one-way ticket and that too without any financial aid,” she says.
On its Twitter handle, Air India declared travellers would be able to make the bookings through its official website, booking offices and through authorised travel agents.
Surbhi Kulhan with her husband Sachin Bisht, snapshot of her exemption approval. Source: Supplied
Ms Kulhan, who is part of a WhatsApp group with hundreds of other Australians, says many of them believe the tickets were hoarded by travel agents in India even before the booking was thrown open to the public.
“We believe travel agents withheld and bought the tickets in bulk and some were later asking for extra money on top of the airfare being sought by Air India. I think Air India should not have allowed agents to book those tickets,” she adds.
Replying to a customer raising a similar complaint on Twitter, Air India said while they apologise for the booking experience, “we assure you that there are enough seats available on all our routes.”
Indians awaiting repatriation from Australia share their experiences:
Meanwhile, Indian nationals stranded in Australia looking to book tickets on outgoing flights destined for New Delhi also shared similar experiences.
Sydney-based Udyan Sharma who was trying to book a ticket for his mother-in-law on a Sydney-Delhi flight slated for 9 August says by the time he logged on to the Air India website, the tickets were already unavailable.
Udyan Sharma with his family (L), snapshor of his screen when he trying to book a flight ticket. Source: Supplied
“I was filling out the details when a message popped up on the screen indicating that the tickets had been sold out. We have been trying for months but with no luck,” he says.
Mr Sharma says while a few charter flight options were available in the past, he has not been able to put his trust and money in privately chartered flights.
“I have not been able to trust those options until now. While my first preference would be Air India despite all anomalies, but if this goes on, I may have to try out a charter option,” he adds.
SBS Punjabi has reached out to Air India for comment.
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