Courtesy of Jameel Khan.

By Veronica Beltran

family disappointed, just wants to come home

PG family stuck in India amidst COVID-19 pandemic

Apr 3, 2020 | 2:15 PM

PRINCE GEORGE—Jameel Khan and his family were hoping to spend a little over a month in India when they left Prince George in February, however, their trip suffered an impromptu extension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Khan and his family left BC to visit his brother who had suffered a stroke earlier this year; this was the families first time back to the country since 2016. Khan’s brother ended up passing away due to the stroke he had suffered earlier in the year.

The family’s return flight was scheduled for March 20, but they didn’t return home.

“(We) have been struggling since then with India being in lockdown and flights being cancelled.”—Jameel Khan

“My family and I are extremely anxious and uncertain about the implementation of the Government’s plan to bringing Canadians home from India,” said Khan, “we are very disappointed after receiving an email sent out by the Canadian Counselor Services in India with the option the Government of Canada has offered for us to return back home.”

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He says a connecting flight home, stopping in London, UK is being offered at twice its normal price.

“In the past, Air Canada has operated regular flights directly from Vancouver to Delhi or Toronto to Mumbai but those options were not given to us in this case.”—Jameel Khan

“I don’t understand the rationale for this,” says Khan in regards to the possible health risks he and his family could face if they did stop in Europe. Khan suffers from ongoing diabetes and heart conditions, posing a greater and more dangerous risk to falling ill with COVID-19.

He mentions that a flight home right now costs almost twice what they paid for their original round-trip flight to India and back.

“We are ready to pay any reasonable amount required provided that we can go home directly.”— Jameel Khan

Khan’s family has a total of four healthcare workers who he says cannot wait to come home and assist the community amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government of Canada did announce the creation of the COVID-19 Emergency Loan Program for Canadians struggling to find funds to pay for flights home, which Khan says is a “great idea in theory but will bring more debt to Canadians in the upcoming weak economic conditions.”

“There are surely many people like us who cannot afford high prices for non-refundable tickets upfront for risky travel and we are hopeful that the government will listen to our plea.”—Jameel Khan

The family says they have been waiting for the Government of Canada to make arrangements for them which they do expect to pay a “fair share” for given the fact that direct flights from India to Canada were not an original option.

CKPG News reached out to the Government of Canada who issued a statement saying that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francois-Philippe Champagne is continuing to coordinate Canada’s international response to the crisis.

“We understand that Canadians around the world are concerned about the ways COVID-19 has changed our lives and leaves us uncertain about the weeks and months ahead. I share these concerns, but I am also confident that we will continue to work together, here at home, and with the international community, to overcome these challenges.”—Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francois-Philippe Champagne

According to Global Affairs Canada over 8,000 Canadians have been repatriated.

“The Government of Canada continues working with airlines and foreign governments to facilitate flights to Canada from locations where there is a lack of international flights, or where local restrictions on travel exist,” read the statement adding that flights from India both in Mumbai and Delhi have been planned.