B.C. family stranded in India says repatriation plan feels like punishment

A British Columbia family of five stranded in India by the COVID-19 crisis say the Canadian government's repatriation plan feels more like punishment than help. 

Speaking from a friend's home in the city of Pune in western India, Jameel Khan said he can't understand why the flights are being routed through London instead of directly to Canada, nor why a single, one-way ticket costs $2,900.

"That [forces] me to make sure that I have $15,000 of funds to pay, and if any one of the five of us has a sneeze or cough or any sort of issue, we will be asked to go into the quarantine and their $3,000 forfeited," he said.

Khan says he doesn't understand why the flights can't go directly from Delhi and Mumbai to Vancouver or Toronto — routes Air Canada offers on its regular schedule.

Direct flights would mean the travellers could avoid the risks associated with transiting through a large and busy airport like Heathrow.

"What is the purpose of forcing us to go via the U.K.," he asked. "If you are not able to travel and for some reason they quarantine you in London, it's very clear that you will be left on your own [for] medical expenses."

'Cost reflects complexity'

In an email, a government spokesperson told CBC that the costs of the flights "reflect the complexity of the situation and the commercial arrangement that has been made."

"To help Canadians and permanent residents return home, we are working with airlines and foreign governments to facilitate commercial flights to Canada from locations where there is a lack of international flights, or where local restrictions on travel exist," reads the statement. 

"We are doing everything in our power to bring the largest number of Canadians home as quickly as possible."

Khan, who is currently on medical leave from his job in blood transfusion services with the Northern Health Authority, said the price tag and routing of the repatriation plan are pushing his already high anxiety level through the roof.

As a person over 60 with a heart condition and diabetes, he has the profile of someone who is more susceptible to COVID-19.

He can't help but wonder if those arranging the flights fully grasp what it's like to be stuck abroad during the pandemic.

"You don't make your bread while there are dead bodies burning," he said.

"This is not taking us home. This is putting us into trouble and into a debt of $15,000."

In February, Khan, his wife and three children went to India to visit an ailing brother who has since passed away. 

The family was supposed to return to Prince George on March 20, but plans were stymied when the Indian government imposed a three-week lockdown to stem the spread of novel coronavirus.

27,000 Canadians registered

More than 27,000 Canadians have registered in India with the Canadians Abroad Service. The service is voluntary and therefore not necessarily indicative of how many Canadians are in the country, nor how many are looking for assistance to get home. 

CBC has asked for the number of Canadians who will be repatriated on the six flights leaving India versus the number who have requested help getting home, but had not heard back at the time of publication.

The earlier statement said "it will not be possible to ensure the return of all Canadians who wish to come home."

The first flight leaves Delhi on Saturday.

On March 16, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an emergency travel loan program to help Canadians who were stuck abroad.