Dubai: That meeting was so emotional. Chinju Ajay from Kozhikode had boarded her flight to Sharjah leaving her 3-month-old child back home. For a month now, the mother and kid have been left stranded due to the travel ban amid the pandemic. However, after month-long efforts, worries and prayers, the four-month-old baby reunited with her mother at Sharjah airport, thanks to the humanitarian assistance provided by the UAE Government.
Chinchu Ajay, a nurse at the Dubai Health Authority was blessed with a girl child, Pallavi, on April 9. She was hoping to return to Dubai with the baby after delivery. But she was compelled to return to Dubai on a special charter flight arranged for nurses on July 12, as travel restrictions were to be imposed from April 24. Hence, Chinju handed over Pallavi and the elder daughter, six-year-old Tanvi to her grandmother and left for Dubai.
Since Chinchu's husband, Ajay Kumar is also working in Dubai, they wanted to somehow bring their children to Dubai. After many failed attempts, the family met Deira Travels General Manager TP Sudheesh, who tried to bring the children to Dubai on humanitarian grounds.
It was through Sudheesh that the baby's visa, ticket and Tanvi's GDRF clearance were issued. Travel was facilitated with an e-residency visa.
On a plane with a young baby
Even mothers are anxious to board a plane with their babies. There are even instances wherein the plane was returned after the babies did not stop crying. But Ajay Kumar couldn't have avoided this journey as he had to receive his children who were set to depart from Kozhikode Airport at 1 am on Sunday. The airport and Air Arabia staff provided excellent cooperation. Authorities allowed the baby to be with the grandmother until the plane take-off time. So, after taking the boarding pass, Pallavi was left with her grandmother till the boarding time of 12:15 pm. The Air Arabia air hostesses offered to take care of her if allowed, and they provided the necessary assistance inside the plane too. After the cabin crew fed her with instant food of milk powder mixed in hot water, and walked a few times along the aisle, the baby was put to sleep and so she remained until the plane got close to Sharjah. The airport authorities also helped to speed up the process. No wonder Chinchu Ajay was waiting outside the airport with teary eyes.