This archive report was first published on 3 July 2020.
On July 2, 2020, Kenya Airways operated a special flight to repatriate Kenyans stranded in India due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the flight left without two Kenyan doctors, Dr Rachir and Dr Devika Patel, who had traveled to India to visit their family.
The couple, who were among the Kenyans in New Delhi, were not allowed to board the flight because they did not meet the threshold of priority passengers for the limited space on the plane. Dr Rachir explained that he had booked tickets for himself, his wife, and their six-month-old daughter, but Kenya Airways cancelled their reservation at the last minute.
According to Dr Rachir, the couple is not bitter with the Kenyan High Commission's decision to prioritize the sick but are requesting for another round of repatriation. He also expressed frustration that some tourists were allowed to board the flight while they were not.
Kenya's High Commissioner to India, Willy Bett, confirmed that 17 Kenyans, who wanted to travel back home, were ejected from the KQ flight and replaced with patients and their care-givers before the plane took off. He attributed the issue to Kenya Airways, stating that the High Commission's role was to provide a list of patients who had been declared fit to fly by their respective doctors.
Kenya Airways operated the special flight at a subsidised rate of Sh 85, 894 for a business class ticket and Sh45,635 for economy. However, the airline's decision to cancel the reservation of Dr Rachir and his family has left them stranded in India.
