<p class="p1">National carrier Air India today commenced the fifth phase of the 'Vande Bharat Mission'.</p>
<p class="p1">Accordingly, the airline is expected to operate close to 700 flights between India and at least 53 countries during this phase, airline sources said.</p>
<p class="p1">In the fourth phase till July 30, the airline had operated 617 flights to bring back around 110,383 passengers.</p>
<p class="p1">According to sources, the airline along with its subsidiary Air India Express, is expected to repatriate more than 1.2 lakh passengers from these 53 countries in the fifth phase.</p>
<p class="p1">Besides, the airline will continue to deploy the majority of its assets in the 5th phase, which will see ultra-long-haul flights to <span class="s1">north</span> America.</p>
<p class="p1">It will also operate extra flights to the UK, Canada and also service the Hong Kong route.</p>
<p class="p1">The airline is also servicing the domestic sector.</p>
<p class="p1">Till July 30, the Air India Group had repatriated more than 271,910 passengers on 1,461 flights from around 53 countries.</p>
<p class="p1">Air India had operated its first evacuation flight under India's "Vande Bharat Mission" from New Delhi to Singapore on May 7.</p>
<p class="p1">India has been undertaking one of the world's largest repatriation operations from May 7, when Air India and Air India Express started the first phase of the mission.</p>
<p class="p1">Prior to VBM, the biggest ever evacuation exercise was also led by Air India. In 1990-91, the airline along with partner carriers repatriated stranded Indians from Kuwait. That time it had brought back 111,711 Indians on 488 flights.</p>.