A Bhopal-based high net worth individual hired a 180-seater A320 plane of a private carrier to ferry four family members to New Delhi, in a bid to avoid crowd at the airport and in flight amid the COVID-19 outbreak, officials said on Thursday.
The person, who is a liquor baron, chartered the aircraft to send to Delhi his daughter, her two children and their maid, who were stuck in Bhopal since the last two months due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, sources said.
The plane arrived here from Delhi on Monday with crew only and flew back with just four passengers for whom it was specially hired, they said.
"The A320 180-seater plane arrived here on May 25 to carry four members of a family, probably due to the coronavirus scare. It was chartered by someone and there was no medical emergency, an airline official said, refusing to divulge any further details.
Bhopal Rajabhoj Airport Director Anil Vikram could not be contacted for comments.
According to aviation experts, the cost of hiring an Airbus-320 is about Rs 20 lakh.
Domestic commercial flight services resumed from Monday, after a nearly two-month break due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.
