COVID-19: GoAir offers to fly migrant workers to home states during lockdown

No-frills carrier GoAir on Saturday evinced interest in flying thousands of stranded migrant workers in various states to the airports closer to their homes amid the lockdown across the country, and said it has approached the government on this issue.

With both passenger train and flight services shut till April 14 and no source of income due to the closure of all businesses, these migrant workers are stuck in major cities and looking for means to reach their native places.

Some of whom have been forced to even walk to their home towns and villages regardless of the distance.

Due to suspension of air services, the aircraft of all domestic airlines are grounded.

India's millions of migrant workers are the most affected sections of our society during the ongoing 21-day lockdown in view of COVID-19, the airline said.

"In response to their plight and after seeing scenes of workers trying to walk hundreds of kilometres home with their families, including children, GoAir has reached out to the Civil Aviation Ministry and offered its services to fly these workers and their families to the airports closest to their homes," the airline said.

Earlier, the airline on Thursday offered its grounded aircraft fleet, cockpit and cabin crew, and airport staff for carrying out emergency services and repatriation of citizens.

The city-based airline flies to 35 destinations, 27 domestic and seven international ones.