Pregnant women, toddlers among hundreds of Keralites stranded in Italy airport

Kochi: Hundreds of Keralites including pregnant women and infants are stranded at airports in Italy as the airline companies denied permission for boarding.

“We were not informed of the travel ban earlier. And when we reached the airport, the airline company authorities denied permission saying that India has imposed ban on passengers from Italy. We can be given permission to fly only after producing medical certificate. Since red alert has been issued in most of the areas in Italy, we can’t go back,” said one of the passengers stranded at Flumicino airport, according to a report by Manorama News.

“We are not getting enough food from the airport and no people’s representatives like MPs or MLAs are interfering in this to resolve the crisis. We have been stuck at the airport for more than 48 hours. We have made it clear that we will comply with all the instructions from the health department and will not violate the quarantine guidelines,” said another passenger.

“We have booked tickets in Emirates flight from Rome to Dubai and connection flight from Dubai to Kochi. But, the airline authorities insisted for medical certificate. We were told about the Indian government’s decision while standing in the queue for check-in, where should we go?” asked a young woman in the short video which was shared to the media.  

Meanwhile, some of the Keralites in Italy said that even their family members are discouraging them from returning home.

“I have been working here in an old age home for couple of decades. The situation in the country, especially in northern Italy is grave. Though I have tried to return to Kerala, my family members discourage me saying that people are having hostile attitude to the Italy returned persons,” said a Malayali home nurse working in Italy.