Would they be allowed to enter with slippers? What would happen when the plane takes off? Would they be safe? The questions raced through the minds of 10 migrants on Thursday as they readied to fly home from New Delhi to Bihar, an unforgettable first flight made possible by the generosity of their employer, a farmer in Delhi.
Getting through airport formalities was intimidating but they had help from an official who guided them till the plane. Excited, nervous and a little panicky as they settled in their seats, many closed their eyes as the plane taxied and then tilted sharply at take-off, Naveen Ram, among the 10 workers taking their debut flight, told PTI after landing in Patna.
Some of them put their heads down on the table in front as the plane steadied in the skies, not daring to look out of the window even when the flight landed, Naveen said.
All 10 farm workers, stuck in Delhi because of the coronavirus forced lockdown, belong to Samastipur in Bihar. They had never dreamed they would get on a plane but they did thanks to Pappan Singh, a mushroom farmer in Delhi’s Tigipur village, who bought their tickets.
Recounting the experiences of the morning, one which they will remember all their lives, Naveen said people at the Delhi airport were looking at them when they entered carrying jute bags and wearing slippers.
“We were not well-dressed like others. We didn’t know what we should do next after entering the airport because it was our first experience of travelling in a plane. We took the help of an airline official,” the 27-year-old said.
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