New Delhi: With authorities deciding to shut operations at terror-hit Brussels airport, Jet Airways said that it is planning an ‘Airlift’-like operation to ferry its stranded passengers from Amsterdam.
An airline spokesperson said that authorities have deployed 15 coaches to transfer its stranded passengers from Brussels to Amsterdam on Wednesday. The airline has also cancelled all its flights to and from Brussels till Saturday.
The Airbus A-330s that flew into Brussels just before the blasts will be flown as 'ferry flights' - without passengers - to Amsterdam, the spokesperson said, adding that these planes will then take the passengers to Delhi, Mumbai and Toronto.
The airline will accommodate these passengers in various hotels during the night prior to flying them to their respective destinations from Amsterdam.
"There will be no passenger flights into and out of #brusselsairport tomorrow Thursday 24 March. Contact your airline for flight information," Brussels airport authorities had tweeted yesterday.
The authorities have, however, allowed limited operations for ferry flights and cargo services.
About 550 passengers and crew of Jet Airways are still stranded in Brussels following Tuesday’s terrorist attacks there. Brussels is the European hub of Jet Airways and four flights of the Indian carrier landed in the span of about an hour of twin explosions striking the airport. The blasts in the airport’s departure hall and another on a subway train left dozens dead.
Guests will board the Jet Airways aircraft at Amsterdam airport for onward travel to Delhi, Mumbai and Toronto, the airline said, adding alternative arrangements are being made for guests travelling to Newark.
Brussels airport serves as the Mumbai-based airline's European hub for its international operations, which is now being relocated to Dutch capital Amsterdam from Sunday.
Meanwhile, Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal spoke to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today.
"Chairman @jetairways Naresh Goyal has spoken to me. He has assured that all Jet passengers will be transferred to Amsterdam today itself," Swaraj said in a series of tweet late evening.
"They will be flown to their destinations tomorrow (Thursday)," she said in another tweet.
Swaraj also said she has asked Indian Ambassador to Netherlands J S Mukul to provide them all assistance there.
Jet Airways also said it was closely monitoring the situation in Brussels.
The airline's Emergency Response Centre in Mumbai and the Local Incident Control Centre in Brussels are working round the clock to provide all possible support to the airline's staff and guests, it said.
"Our staff are with guests at each of the locations in Brussels and providing assistance to ensure they are comfortable," it said.
The carrier has also deployed its teams from India and Continental Europe to help in the coordination efforts, it said.
With PTI Inputs
