NRIs seek clarification over resumption of Air India flight
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, December 25
NRIs and city residents have sought clarity over resumption of Air India’s New Delhi-Amritsar-Birmingham flight, also known as Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto flight.
NRI Sameep Singh, who is settled in the USA, welcomed the announcement for resumption of flight on the sector. He said it had brought smiles among Punjabis settled in various parts of Canada and the US.
Sharing his past travel experience, he said all his family used to board flights from the US to Amritsar, via Toronto, on Air India. But, after discontinuation of the Toronto-Amritsar air link, he had to explore other travel options, he added.
While demanding revival of the air link he said the Air India, CMD Ashwani Lohani, had announced to connect India with Toronto through a flight from Amritsar via Birmingham from next year.
On the other hand, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said Amritsar-Delhi-Birmingham flight would be extended to Toronto shortly. He added that there was a plan of changing route of Amritsar-Delhi-Birmingham flight to Delhi-Amritsar-Birmingham.
Now, it is not clear what happened to the Air India CMD’s statements regarding plans for resumption of Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto flight.
The concern has been raised after many conflicting statements regarding resumption of flight on the route by officials concerned of the airlines.
The Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM) patron, Dr Charanjit Singh Gumtala, said the NGO had requested Air India to clarify plans regarding resumption of the flight and its route.
He said for more than six years there had been a demand for the resumption of Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto flight, which had high occupancy before it was withdrawn on October 31, 2010.
Even the present government had not conceded to the demand for direct non-stop flights from Amritsar, he added.
Meanwhile, with elections around the corner, elected representatives have been exhorted to stop making stop-gap announcements, which play with sentiments of Punjabis.