SpiceJet joins actor Sonu Sood to bring back Indian students stranded abroad

SpiceJet on July 23 announced that it will be operating nine charter flights over a two month period to evacuate more than 1,500 Indian students stranded in Kyrgyzstan due to the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic.

These flights, the airline said, will be operated in association with actor Sonu Sood, who has been lauded for helping stranded migrant workers reach their home.

Calling Sood a "reel life and real life hero", Ajay Singh, the Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet, said both the actor and the airline have worked "non-stop to help our fellow citizens" through the nationwide lockdown.

"...I am glad that we have come together to help reunite Indian nationals with their families in these times of extreme crisis," Singh said.

In a statement, SpiceJet said it operated the first charter flight from Bishkek to bring back 135 students to their hometown of Varanasi on July 23 and that it will be operating more such flights from the Kyrgyzstan capital to various Indian cities in coming days.