Government has no plans to facilitate charter flights to return NZers from India - Ardern Saturday, May 15, 2021 RNZ
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the government is not planning to help travel agents trying to organise private charter flights for New Zealanders stranded in India.
She said the government is waiting to see whether commercial flights out of India will come back on stream after being paused.
Travel agencies and the Indian community are reported to be organising flights to repatriate New Zealanders from India which could be ready to go by the end of the month if they get approval from officials here.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi was shouted down at a rally of unhappy migrants today as he revealed he could not give them the news they wanted to hear in their bid to loosen border restrictions
She said the government is waiting to see whether commercial flights out of India will come back on stream after being paused.
Travel agencies and the Indian community are reported to be organising flights to repatriate New Zealanders from India which could be ready to go by the end of the month if they get approval from officials here.
Ardern said she was aware of that but the government had no plans to facilitate such flights because commercial flights may come back on stream. I would also highlight that there are some who are managing to find a path through [from India to New Zealand], travel agents have been able to support people with that so I would just urge people to use those options as well.