Air India, SpiceJet to operate one flight each to Tel Aviv on Saturday

Air India and SpiceJet will operate one flight each to Tel Aviv on Saturday to bring back Indians amid escalating tensions due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to officials.

These chartered flights will be operated under Operation Ajay, which the government has launched to facilitate the return of those who wish to come back from Israel.

The officials in the know said Air India will be operating a flight from the national capital to Tel Aviv while SpiceJet will operate a flight from Amritsar to Tel Aviv. Both flights are expected to return and land at the Delhi airport on Sunday morning, they added.

One of the officials said Air India is scheduled to operate another flight to Tel Aviv on Sunday.

On Saturday morning, an Air India flight AI 140 returned to the national capital with 235 Indians from Israel.

On Friday morning, more than 200 people had come from Tel Aviv in an Air India flight, which was also the first under Operation Ajay.

Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh on Saturday received the Indians who came from Israel at the airport.

"Received the second batch of Indians from Israel. Heartening to note that they are very appreciative of GoI's swift response #OperationAjay and @MEAIndia for smooth coordination," he said in a post on social media platform X.