AVM opposed Air India’s decision to divert ASR-London flight as Ahmedabad – London

Amritsar, June 15 (Punjab Post Bureau)- Amritsar Vikas Manch has opposed Air India’s decision to stop operating its Amritsar-Delhi-London (AI15/116) flight from August 15 and using this slot at London Heathrow Airport for a direct non-stop flight from Ahmedabad to London. Air India is already operating Ahmedabad-Bombay-London and Ahmadabad-Bombay-Newark (USA) flight and now they are adding another Ahmadabad -London- Newark (London) even though it has a policy of Delhi and Mumbai as hub for all its international flights.

In a press release, Manch North American representative, Sameep Singh Gumtala said, “During UPA government, Air India diverted all its international operations via Delhi and Mumbai. Due to this, Air India’s high passenger volume direct flights from Amritsar-Birmingham and Amritsar-London were diverted via Delhi. Even then, based on OAG Schedules Analyzer data for the year 2015, Air India’s No. 1 connection route via its Delhi hub was between London Heathrow and Amritsar. Majority of the passengers on this route are Punjabis. Even Amritsar – Delhi – Milan route is listed in top 12 routes in the data. What is interesting to note is that instead of direct Amritsar-London flight, Air India is now going to stop operations for its No. 1 route. There has been no news or update by Air India yet on whether they are now changing its Delhi and Mumbai hub policy or is it done under political pressure to please PM Modi. Last year, in reply to Amritsar Vikas Manch letters demanding restoring of direct Amritsar-Birmingham and Amritsar-London flight, Ministry of Civil Aviation stated that Delhi is a hub, so these flights will remain via Delhi.”

Sameep Singh said, “Instead of direct Amritsar-London and Amritsar-Birmingham flights, passengers are forced to disembark and connect via Delhi making the journey long and tedious. Regardless of this inconvenience faced by Punjabis at Delhi Airport, this route is Air India’s No. 1 route for 2015 via Delhi. Passengers are made to wait for 8-12 hours at Delhi by Air India to connect for flights to Toronto, San Francisco and other international destinations. Due to this, Air India has done a big favor to other airlines as Amritsar features in top 12 Turkmenistan Airlines connection via Ashgabat for 2015 including London, Istanbul, Birmingham Frankfurt and Dubai. Passengers from Amritsar choose Turkmenistan Airlines to reach London via Ashgabat so much so that out of the top 12 transit routes for this airline, London-Ashgabat-Amritsar features at third place. For a long time, Punjabis have been demanding direct flight from Amritsar to Toronto but AI started Amritsar-Toronto flight via Delhi with 10 hours stopover in Delhi and later stopped citing losses on this route.  While a direct flight from Amritsar to London makes more sense, Air India is now cancelling the flight via Delhi but continues to operate one of its top money loosing route which is Ahmedabad – Mumbai – Newark. Not only this, it is adding another Ahmedabad-London-New Jersey flight.”

Manch has reminded Finance Minister Arun Jaitley about his promise to make Amritsar a “dream city” and assured the residents of the city about launching direct international flights from Amritsar to London, Birmingham, Toronto, Milan and Vancouver. This is the time now for him to deliver direct flights as an independence gift to people of Amritsar and Punjab. Manch also appeal to CM Badal, Rajya Sabha members, Shwet Malik and Navjot Sidhu to approach PM to restore and start new direct flights.