Stranded New Zealand nationals who were set to be flown out of India on a special repatriation flight arrived at New Delhi's International Airport overnight amid a nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.
The non-stop Air New Zealand flight that will transport the group to Auckland was scheduled to depart early on Friday.
Many of the travellers were visiting relatives in Punjab state in India's north, when a nationwide lockdown, including a ban on commercial air travel, was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in late March.
The travellers had no choice but to remain in India until New Zealand's government arranged the repatriation flight, however, some of the passengers said they had to pay for the tickets themselves at a cost of NZ$5500.
Ahead of the departure, a number of the travellers expressed relief that they would be able to return home to New Zealand.
"I really love India, but I have to go home. I have got to get home," said 81-year-old Auckland resident Patricia Dawn Creary.
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