In the past one and a half months, more than 150k people have flown to India from all parts of the world and the number is steadily increasing. After being standard for more than two months, lots of Indians have reached home, courtesy Vande Bharat Mission. Being stuck in a foreign land can be distressing and there was desperation and urgency amongst Indians to come back. People are thankful for the opportunity provided by the Government of India via Vande Bharat Mission.

However, you can sense that people are unhappy with the way they are being bought back to their homeland. Once you reach your destination, you are bound to forget all the hardships and difficulties you faced during your long and tough journey back home. But we need to understand what is troubling the travelers and why do they want that international flights to be resumed ASAP.

• • The VBM flights are departing from very few cities and reach limited destinations. Everyone has to reach the selected city on their own, sometimes via a 4-5 hours flight. This is really bothersome and problematic. You also have to pay for the extra baggage as the domestic airlines have limited baggage allowance. Travelers are also exposed twice to the lethal virus, as they have to go through an extra journey.
  • Air India website hasn’t been updated for decades and booking a ticket there is a chore in itself. There are lots of incongruity and hurdles. The website and App crash at the first instance of traffic. People browsing exactly at the same time see different availability and options. There is no sync between the App and Website. If you want to reschedule or cancel your flight, you have a task on hand. There are constraints on payment methods. You have to understand that people are stuck in foreign land with limited sources. 
  • Flights are prohibitively expensive and everyone can’t afford it, especially if they are traveling as a family. We have to remember that these flights are not end-to-end. One has to buy domestic flights, stay at an airport hotel, and pay for quarantine facilities. All this adds up to a tidy sum which can make a big hole in your pocket.
  • The check-in entails standing in a mile long queue. The elderly and pregnant woman are given no preference or assistance.
  • Despite the high prices, there is no social distancing in flights and they are jam-packed. The robe given to middle seat passenger is just an eye-wash.
  • Flights are operating with minimalistic services and facilities. You have to travel with basic food, no blankets, and no inflight entertainment. There is no provision of tea/coffee. These are long flights and it can be very inconvenient.
  • The worst part is when you disembark. It can take you about 7-8 hours to get out of the airport. Not an easy job for anyone after a long and exhausting flight. You can imagine the ordeal for aged, pregnant, and families with small kids. You have to stand in long queues without any food/water and argue endlessly with the staff. You have to pass through several rounds of medical screening which has no value or purpose. There is no consideration or empathy for anyone.