NGO demands direct flights to London

Amritsar, April 1: A city-based NGO, Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM), has demanded direct flight between Amritsar- London.AVM patron, Dr Charanjit Singh Gumtala, said, “At present the national carrier, Air India, operates two flights for London via Amritsar. One is AI 111/112 Amritsar-Delhi-London, which incurred a loss Rs 226 crore with a load factor of 78.21 per cent in the fiscal ending March 31, 2014.

Second flight AI 115/116 incurred loss Rs 154 crore with a load factor of 72.02 per cent.” He claimed that both flights could be made profitable if re-routed and made direct flights. One should be made Amritsar-London direct flight and other Delhi- London direct flight, he added.

Each flight needs one aircraft. At present each flight uses two planes because it is a long route. Air India has to spend Rs 5 lakh extra to fly to Delhi. Only one plane is needed for direct flights instead of two because it takes 8.30 hours to reach London and 7.30 hours to reach Amritsar from London.

In a communiqué to the Union government, Dr Gumtala stated that it would get 100 per cent occupancy because passengers could avail connecting flights from London to USA, Canada and Europe by other airlines. Besides, the direct flight would be helpful for exporting vegetables, flowers, fruits from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh to London, he added. He said, “Thus, Amritsar airport will earn Rs 10 crore annually with rerouted flight.”

It may be recalled that Sri Guru Ram Das International Airport Amritsar is incurring an annual loss of around Rs 50 crore. With thanks from Tribune News Service