KUWAIT: Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the return of foreign domestic workers to the country on direct flights will begin on Monday, Dec 7, with plans for a 14-day COVID-19 mandatory state quarantine for 80,000 individuals put in place.

The plan will save on costs for employers (sponsors), paving the way for direct flights back instead of being subject to costs pertaining to a quarantine period abroad as was the case before the decision, DGCA Director General Youssef Al-Fawzan said in a press statement.

The huge endeavor, which will witness the entry of 600 people a day, has been given a four-month timeframe. It will begin with India and the Philippines, followed by other unspecified countries, according to Fawzan, and will include logistical services, shelter, catering and security. The workers will stay at one of 58 state quarantine buildings, where they will undergo three PCR tests and receive three meals a day under health ministry supervision. Men and women will be housed in separate facilities.

"The success of the plan, in its initial stages, will move us to other stages for the return of the rest of the categories of residents in an orderly manner in coordination with concerned government agencies and in cooperation with the private sector," added Fawzan.

State carrier Kuwait Airways and locally-owned Jazeera Airways will be in charge of airlifting the workers and have been urged to provide competitive prices for the flights, Acting Deputy Director Saleh Al-Fadaghi said. Kuwait-based aviation services provider NAS has been handed the roles of transportation, housing, catering, cleaning and security, with costs reduced to KD 270 per person from KD 550, he added. - KUNA