Highlights
- Seven repatriation flights have been arranged for Indians stuck in Australia
- Mohit Hotchandani travelled on Sydney-Delhi flight on May 21
- Passengers to go through thermal screening and COVID-19 tests
An IT project manager in Sydney, Mohit was desperate to travel to India since April for personal reasons.
“I was due to go to India in April but flights got cancelled. So I was constantly keeping an eye on the news and the Indian High Commission website. I registered myself for the repatriation flights and was shortlisted for the Sydney-Delhi flight for May 21,” he told SBS Hindi.
He says as Australia’s permanent resident, he had to first seek travel exemption from the Australian Border Force.
"If you are travelling to India at this difficult time and you are a permanent resident of Australia, then you need to apply for travel exemption from the Australian Border Force (ABF). I followed the guidelines to seek travel exemption," he says.
To seek an exemption, one needs to provide a tentative date and flight number of the journey.
“However, you do not need to have the exact date and flight number,” he shares.
In Mohit's case, the flight numbers of the repatriation flights to India were available on the website of the Indian High Commission.
Listen to the podcast:
LISTEN TO
From handing over passport, vegetarian meals to COVID-19 tests, this Australian permanent resident shares his experience of repatriation flight to India
SBS Hindi
27/05/202009:02
Source: Twitter/Indian High Commission, Canberra
Sydney-Delhi journey
On May 21, the passengers were asked to reach airport five to six hours before their departure.
“Once we got there, we were thermally screened and allowed to proceed only after proving we had no symptoms of COVID-19,” Mohit told SBS Hindi.
“On the flight, the food was already served in packets and was on our seats. We were also asked to wear a face screen with a mask during the entire journey. The cabin crew was also equipped with PPE kit,” he says.
Mohit's flight reached Delhi after twelve and a half hours where they were again thermally screened.
“When we deboarded the aircraft, we were divided into groups of 20. Each group was accompanied by two people from Airport Security, whose responsibility was to get all the members of the group through immigration, baggage and customs and assist them to board the bus to the hotel.”
On arrival at the airport, they were tested by a panel of doctors and all passengers were asked to download the 'Arogya Setu' app.
“It a contact-tracing app similar to Australia's COVIDSafe App,” he says.
Hotel quarantine in New Delhi
All passengers who return to India on these repatriation flights are required to quarantine at government-designation hotels for 14 days at their own expense.
“At the airport, we were allowed to choose the hotel for quarantining. Many hotels in different price range were available to choose from. The price ranged between 2000-4000 INR that included breakfast, lunch and dinner,” he says.
After the hotel was finalized, the authorities asked for Mohit and his wife’s passport.
“They said the passport will be given back after the quarantine period is over.”
At the hotel, the couple is served vegetarian meals as prescribed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
“Every day between 5 and 6 pm, authorities come to check our temperature. If anyone shows any symptoms, the guidelines state they will be offered treatment.
“We have also been told that we will have to undergo COVID-19 test on the 7th and 14th day of our quarantine. We will be allowed to leave the hotel only after the test is negative,” he says.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.
SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at
