Now, Birmingham flight to take off thrice a week

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 23

After getting good response from passengers, Air India has increased its flight frequency from Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar, to Birmingham from two to three days per week.

Tickets are open for booking on Air India website and other air ticketing portals for Saturday travel as well. This additional third direct flight of the week AI-117 on Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft will depart from Amritsar on Saturday at 1.55 pm and return next day on Sunday at 7.30 am.

Member of Parliament (MP) Gurjeet Singh Aujla said he was thankful to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviations, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, Air India, Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Shwait Malik for endorsing his demand.

“Similarly Air India’s Nanded flight (AI 815/AI 816) is also expected to increase its operations to three days, including Wednesdays from May 12,” he said.

According to Aujla, he has been pursuing the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs and Prime Minister’s Office for adding Amritsar as a point of call amending the bilateral air services agreements with other nations. Amritsar is not a designated point of call in the bilateral air services agreement with many countries, so their carriers are not getting permission to fly to Amritsar.

Meanwhile, Yogesh Kamra, executive member of the Amritsar Vikas Manch, said the direct flight from Amritsar to Birmingham had received an overwhelming response.

The Manch has requested Air India management and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to increase the frequency of the flight to seven days a week to facilitate the passengers, he added.