Neos Air’s weekly Amritsar-Toronto service via Milan to stop from Oct 8

In a major setback to the international connectivity of Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport Amritsar with Toronto, Italy’s Neos Air has announced suspension of its weekly Amritsar-Toronto service via Milan from October 8.

According to a statement released on the airline’s official website, Neos Air cited “current international geopolitical instability and the resulting decline in booking trends, with load factors unfortunately insufficient to ensure operational sustainability” as the reason for discontinuing the route.

Neos Air has announced that passengers who booked directly on its website will receive refund instructions by email, while those who booked through travel agencies are advised to contact their agents. Neos Air sustained this operation since April 2023 despite being a smaller airline.

This suspension is disappointing, but passengers still have options to reach Toronto, as Qatar Airways operates a direct Amritsar-Doha service, providing convenient one-stop connections to Toronto. For those wanting to fly one stop, Air India provides one-stop connectivity via Delhi for travellers bound for Canada.

Local activists and residents expressed concern over the suspension. In a joint statement, Sameep Singh Gumtala and Anantdeep Singh Dhillon from FlyAmritsar Initiative said, “This suspension is a major setback for thousands of Punjabi diaspora members in Canada who depend on convenient connections from Amritsar. At the same time, it highlights the urgent need for sustainable long-haul operations to and from Punjab.

“Now is the time for Air India to realise the full potential of this route and step in. With its vast resources and global network, Air India is best positioned to operate direct Amritsar-Toronto flights successfully and serve the growing demand of the Punjabi diaspora,” said Gumtala.

“Punjabis themselves must show greater patriotism and commitment by choosing to fly from/to Amritsar, even if it means connecting via Delhi for some routes. Stronger passenger traffic through Amritsar will help make the case with airlines like Air India and others to expand direct services in the future”, he added.

The FlyAmritsar Initiative complimented Neos Air for recognising Amritsar’s potential and launching this transcontinental service. The team remains hopeful that when geopolitical and market conditions improve, the airline may reconsider operations, possibly exploring

a Vancouver-Milan-Amritsar route to serve Western Canada’s growing Punjabi community and strengthen travel links between Punjab and Europe.