COVID-19: AI to conduct 9 flights from Mar 31-Apr 3 to transport essential items

New Delhi, Mar 28 () Amid a 21-day nationwide lockdown to combat coronavirus, Air India will conduct nine special flights between March 31 and April 3 to transport essential items such as medicines, test kits and equipment to various cities across the country, senior airline officials said on Saturday.

"On March 31 morning, one B787-8 aircraft would be operating a flight on Mumbai-Bengaluru route. The plane would return to Mumbai in morning itself," the official said.

Another B787-8 will be used to conduct a flight on March 31 between Mumbai and Chennai, the senior official noted.

"These planes would be carrying essential items such as medicines, test kits and equipment," the official added.

More than 900 people have so far been infected by the coronavirus in India and 19 fatalities recorded, according to the central government.

A second official told that Air India would be conducting special flights on the Mumbai-Goa, the Mumbai-Trivandrum, the Mumbai-Chennai and the Chennai-Hyderabad routes.

"Total seven flights with essential items would be flying on these four routes from March 31 to April 3," the official added.

India is under a 21-day lockdown till April 14 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus that has killed thousands of people in different countries across the world till now. DSP