A 53-year-old Indian worker in the UAE has missed a special repatriation flight after he dozed off at the Dubai International Airport, a media report said.
P Shajahan, who worked as a storekeeper in Abu Dhabi, was supposed to fly to Thiruvananthapuram on the Emirates jumbo jet chartered by the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) Dubai, Gulf News reported.
It was the first-ever jumbo jet chartered for repatriation.
Shajahan, who had paid 1,100 dirham (USD 300) for the ticket, said that he did not sleep on the previous night as he kept on waiting for the confirmation of his ticket for the jumbo jet flying 427 stranded Indians to Kerala, it said.
He reached the airport early in the morning and after finishing the check-in procedures and rapid test, he reached the waiting area of the boarding gate at Terminal 3 around 2 PM local time, the report said.
“I sat away from most of the others. But I fell asleep after 4.30 PM,” he said.
S Nizamudeen Kollam, who coordinated the charter flight, said that the airline officials could not trace Shajahan when the flight was to take off.
“He woke up and called us after the flight left. It is sad that he missed the flight, which was the first-ever jumbo jet chartered for repatriation. We are now trying to send him on another Emirates flight that we are chartering on Saturday,” Kollam said.
Since Shajahan did not have any money, Jasimkhan Kallambalam, organising secretary of KMCC Thiruvananthapuram, went to the airport to meet him on Friday.
“Since his visa was cancelled, he could not come out of the airport. He had only eaten the snacks in the kit KMCC had given. We managed to give him some cash for buying food through KMCC volunteer Alamsha Latheef,” Kallambalam said.
In March, another Indian expat had fallen asleep in the same terminal and missed the last flight home before flights were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He was stranded here for over 50 days before getting repatriated.
Comments
But BJP was able to do it in UP and Gujarat since EC is in its pocket
After model code of conduct came into existence in Karnataka, Congress crooks are not able to distribute money (both black money & fake currency) freely to get people for Pappu rallies like before.
Why can’t the idiot understand that Kannadigas have no interest in meeting him to listen to his nonsense.
Because it is a BJP stronghold and naturally communally sensitive region!
"Rahul asked party workers not to brag about their achievements and the
achievements of ministers, but to focus on key issues of each region
that ensure victory"
Is there anything to brag? And, he is advising to focus on key issues, now, during the election time? What were they doing for last 5 years?
Congress has change for its own good. Party party hierarchy, should be strong. The party must have zero tolerance on Corruption in the name of Party funds. Collect money from ministerial aspirants and Chairmen of statutory boards. Why other parties speak lightly about Congress is due to situation that is prevailing in the Congress. Native Congressmen are sidelined with migrated defected leaders. No one is listening or giving chances to hear views. This time Congress will learn a hard lesson for sidelining devout and loyal Congress leaders and giving prominence of migrants. Even senior leaders like Mr.Jaffar Sheriff and Moily are sidelined. Mr. S.M. Krishna left the party due to not giving importance to his seniority or experience. Now one after the other will start leaving the Congress after out come of the elections in Karnataka.
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