Lucknow: Resumed flights give wings to their wishes

LUCKNOW: For Aiman, it was nothing less than a godsend gift on Eid. Every year, her family and relatives used to gather at ancestral house in Jaipur for celebrations on the festival. Owing to lockdown, she had lost all hope of a get-together this year, her last at her grandparents' house before her marriage in October. But things changed dramatically with resumption of domestic flights from May 25. The 23-year-old lost no time in booking tickets for day 1.
Like Aiman, who lives in Lucknow with her parents, many in the city who either wished to reunite with families or had been working here and stuck for the past 60 days, are now looking forward fulfill their wishes. Similarly, Lucknow residents stuck in other parts of the country would be flying back to their hometown.
"As lockdown appeared never ending, we planned a 'virtual' Eid celebration, but the thought of not being able to meet grandparents was constantly troubling me. And, then God heard my prayers," said Aiman.
"As there was no connecting flight to Jaipur, it was quickly decided that all relatives will assemble in Delhi on May 26 at my uncle's place," said Aiman who would be flying with her parents on Monday.
"The celebrations, this time, would be with "masks and distancing," she added with a chuckle.
Tour operators said maximum bookings are from the students stuck in Lucknow and those who wish to travel for Eid. "Most bookings are for and from Delhi and Mumbai followed by Bengaluru and Hyderabad," said Hina Shiraz, a travel operator.
Mayank Saxena (36), who works in a bank in the city, will fly home in Ahmedabad on May 30. "I not only missed wife and two kids all this while, but also 8th marriage anniversary," he said.
Mayank lived as a paying guest in Indiranagar but felt lonely with no family around after the lockdown began, he shifted to cousin's place in Aliganj.
"I video-called family every day, but now I will actually see them. The only fear, however, is of being quarantined for 14 days" he added.
Natives of Lucknow city will also be returning after a long gap.
Ayedid Khan, who works in Mumbai, is flying in to meet family on May 27. "There's a bit of travel anxiety and fear now as the pandemic has changed the world as we knew it."
‘Was waiting to come home since March’
Advertising professional, Ratan S (31), a native of Lucknow, lived in Mumbai with his wife and one-andhalf-year old son. In March, his wife along with son went to visit her parents in Punjab and from there she came to Lucknow to be with Ratan’s parents.
Ratan was due to arrive in Lucknow towards March end, but then lockdown began.
“I rescheduled flight for April 20 thinking lockdown is for a few days, but it prolonged. Now as soon as the announcement to resume domestic flights was made, I immediately went and booked a ticket for June 1,” he said.
Ayedid Khan, who works in Mumbai, is looking forward to flying in to his home state to meet his family on May 27. “There’s a bit of travel anxiety and fear now as the pandemic has changed the world as we knew it,” he said..