Parammu Afsal (27) who works at a hotel in Dubai, has a different story as he turned out lucky. When he arrived at the airport to board the Kozhikode-bound flight on Friday, he realised that his visa period had expired — by a few hours.
Airport authorities asked him to produce his employment details and other formalities. He immediately rushed to procure them from his room, but by the time he was returned, the boarding process was over.
But that proved a blessing for Afsal.
He was planning to return for his wedding, which was fixed last year. Now, he is planning to take next flight to Kannur.
HT reported that Sharafu Pilassery (35), working in Dubai in a private firm, had arranged flight tickets for many and fed people stranded without job in the United Arab Emirates. He told his relatives and friends back home that he and his family will be coming back to the country. They never imagined that will be his last journey.
A social worker among the expatriate community in Dubai, he insisted that he will go back once the rush subsided, his friends recalled.
Four hours before the accident, he posted a photo with his family in protective shields and masks. “Back to Home,” he wrote on his Facebook.
Several passengers part of the flight from Dubai to Kozhikode had cited loss of jobs as the reason to travel back home, according to their repatriation flight list. A large number of workers based in the Gulf have lost their jobs due to the pandemic.
