Mark Carney urged to start flights from Canada to Amritsar
As Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney began his first official visit to India, the activists associated with FlyAmritsar Initiative and the Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM), are urgently calling on him to include direct air connectivity to Amritsar in his high-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The activists advocate that direct non-stop flights from Toronto and Vancouver to Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport (ATQ) in Amritsar is a vital step towards strengthening the Canada-India people-to-people bridge. Such a route would serve over one million Canadians of Punjabi origin and a growing number of international students and business travellers. It would also directly connect the diaspora to Golden Temple, one of the world’s most visited spiritual destinations, sparing travellers the gruelling 25-35-hour journey involving long layovers in Delhi.
In a joint statement, Anantdeep Singh Dhillon and Sameep Singh Gumtala, Global Convener of the FlyAmritsar Initiative, said, “Prime Minister Carney’s visit represents a reset in bilateral relations. Direct flights are no longer just a matter of convenience, they are a necessity for trade, education and family ties.”
In recent years, a parliamentary e-petition initiated by Mohit Dhanju of the FlyAmritsar Initiative and sponsored by Conservative MP Brad Vis garnered over 20,000 signatures in just 30 days. The issue has also been strongly championed by leaders including Liberal MP and Minister Ruby Sahota.
A key focus of the requested dialogue is navigating the current aviation framework. Under the existing Canada-India air services agreement, Indian airlines enjoy open skies, access to fly into Canada from any Indian city. In contrast, Canadian carriers are restricted to operating flights to only six major Indian metros, a list that currently excludes Amritsar. “With Air India set to increase Toronto frequencies to 10 weekly flights this April, the market demand is undeniable. However, because Canadian airlines currently lack the bilateral rights to fly directly to Amritsar, the immediate solution lies with Indian carriers. We urge Prime Minister Carney to raise this in his talks with the Indian government, strongly advocating for airlines like Air India to commence direct Canada-Amritsar flights, or alternatively, to negotiate expanded access for Canadian carriers,” said Gumtala.
