Amritsar, August 17(Bharatsandesh news): New Delhi’s brand new air terminal called T -3 came up for commissioning in a record time of only three years and Air India is planning to introduce fresh flights therefrom on the hub-and-spoke arrangement .
Surprisingly, Air India is withdrawing its most popular and 100% seat occupancy all time favourite AMRITSAR-LONDON-TORONTO flight from 31 October and even plans to re-route its AMRITSAR- DUBAI, AMRITSAR-SHARJAH flights ultimately to favour the new Mohali airport. AIR INDIA is also just waiting to introduce from Delhi nonstop flights to Melbourne (Australia),Toronto (Canada) and Chicago (USA) in addition to its existing DELHI-NEW YORK flight from 31 October this year.
Air India has been displaying a negative attitude vis-à-vis Amritsar from day one. It is common observation that Punjabis form more than 30% of all international air passengers landing at Delhi. Moreover, more than 600,000 passengers alighted or took off from Amritsar in 2007 in spite of many inadequacies and shortcomings there. The AMRITSAR-LONDON-TORONTO flight remains booked for at least two months and even today, not a single seat is available before 15 September 2010.
There was a time when Air India flew daily to Toronto from Amritsar via Birmingham. But to provide more business to Delhi, the weekly frequency of flights from Amritsar was reduced to four. Now the same operation is noticed before launching its nonstop Delhi -Toronto flight. The withdrawal/rerouting of AMRITSAR-LONDON-TORONTO flight will affect the lakhs of Punjabis living there who will miss the only direct link to the city of the Golden Temple now.
Amritsar Vikas Manch patron Dr. Charanjit Singh Gumtala has appealed to the NRIs living in Canada, USA, UK etc. to protest against this Air India plan to withdraw the AMRITSAR-LONDON-TORONTO flight from 31 October. They should insist on the status-quo and suggest that the present Delhi- London -Toronto flight may be made Delhi-Amritsar-Toronto nonstop if required, because the success of the Amritsar-London-Toronto flight lies in the fact that it originates from Amritsar. If this is disturbed it will be ruinous for the airline as happened to its Mumbai –New York flight which created a record LOSS of Rs 750 crore for want of passengers in 2008-09.
Similarly, if the Amritsar-London-Toronto flight is made Delhi-Toronto, passengers would shift to other more attractive airlines from Delhi and this would be suicidal for the cash strapped Air India. Rather Air India should start Delhi-Amritsar-Toronto, Delhi-Amritsar-Vancouver and Amritsar-Barmingam–Milan flights to get good income.
The Manch Patron has asked the people of Indian origin in UK,USA and Canada to shoot letters to Dr Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi the chairperson of UPA and to exercise their influence in whatever way it is required.
