Punjab Post Daily Online Newspaper & Print Media
Punjabi NRIs will never forgive the discontinuation of Flight AI115 – Aujla
Amritsar, June 27 (Punjab Post Bureau)- Issuing a press release regarding diversion as well as discontinuation of Amritsar – London direct flight from Sri Guru Ramdas International Arrivals to Ahmedabad, DCC(R) Amritsar chief Gurjeet Singh Aujla said that Modi-Jaitley-Badal haven’tyet forgotten theirvanquishment from Amritsar Lok Sabha. Informing about flight AI-115, Aujla said that the said flight was Air India’s no. 1 in top 12 connections via Delhi in 2015 and as per Airport Authority of India; Amritsar Airport has a 39.7% increase in international tourists for April 2016 comparing with April 2015 and 17.4% increase in domestic traffic, but all this growth is not enough for ‘MODI mandli’ to let this flight operate from Amritsar. Terming Modi as anti-minorities and anti-Sikhs/Punjabis, Aujla said that Modi first ruthlessly dislocated Punjabi farmers from Gujrat and now is favoring Gujrat by snatching away whatever good the state of Punjab is left with.
He informed that Amritsar-Delhi-London (AI15/116) flightwill be gifted to Ahmedabad by ‘MODI mandli’ from August 15 and will use 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 which was not enough to please Modi so another Ahmadabad-London- Newark (London) flight is being added ignoring Hub and Spoke policy of Air India. Aujla said that instead ofdirect Amritsar-London and Amritsar-Birmingham flights, passengers will be forced to disembark and connect via Delhi making the journey long and tedious. Passengers will have to wait for 8-12 hours at Delhi to take flights to Toronto, San Francisco and other international destinations. Aujla added that international carriers like FlyScoot, Malindo, Uzbekistan Airways, Turkmenistan Airlines and Qatar Airways are taking interest in Amritsar due to Golden Temple, its heritage status, tourism spotsand are starting flights to and from here whereas India’s own National Carrier is ignoring and deserting it under MODI-BADAL’s RSS agenda. He said that establishment of International Airport at Amritsar was one of the demands during Dharam Yudh Morcha but now people like Badal are bent upon ruining it by staying mum over RSS agenda. Aujla informed that as per a survey in 2015 Punjab has been declared as a state which poorly promotes civil aviation in spite of its great caliber. Aujla demanded that flight AI115/116 be resumed from Amritsar and Sri Guru Ramdas International Arrivals be made an International hub. Amritsar airport is the backbone of almost 80% of city’s economy so it must get direct flights as the Hub and Spoke policy of Air India has already gone null and void due to direct linking from Ahmedabad.
