Spicejet, AI Express, IndiGo to operate special evacuation flights for Indians

New Delhi: SpiceJet, Air India Express and IndiGo will operate special flights from Hungarian capital Budapest and Romania's Bucharest on Monday and Tuesday to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine due to the Russian military offensive.

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its citizens from Romania and Hungary -- countries sharing borders with Ukraine -- as the Ukrainian airspace has been closed since February 24 when the military offensive began.

Tata Group-owned Air India has evacuated 1,396 Indian nationals in six evacuation flights till now.

Around 14,000 Indians, mainly college students, are currently stranded in Ukraine.

SpiceJet said it will use its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for this special flight that will depart from Delhi on Monday evening.

"The aircraft will fly to Budapest from Delhi and the return flight will operate via Kutaisi, Georgia," it mentioned.

SpiceJet said it is planning to operate more evacuation flights and is in discussion with the authorities concerned.

Tata Group-owned Air India Express said it will operate a Bucharest-Mumbai flight on Monday night with 182 stranded passengers.

"The flight will have a stopover at Kuwait for refuelling. It will land in Mumbai at 9:30 am tomorrow (Tuesday)," it added.

IndiGo said it is operating two evacuation flights using A321 aircraft to bring back Indian citizens safely, following the crisis in Ukraine.

Both the flights will land in Delhi on Tuesday, it noted.

"These flights are being operated from Delhi to Bucharest in Romania and Budapest in Hungary via Istanbul, Monday, as part of the Indian government's Operation Ganga mission," it mentioned.

India's largest airline said it is closely liaising with the government to offer its support for more such evacuations flights.