Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Amritsar, All flights of Air India from Delhi including Amritsar- Delhi- Brimingham are running in loss. Dr. Charanjit Singh Gumtala, patron Amritsar Vikas Manch has demanded the restoration of Amritsar-Birmingham flight by Air India to make it profitable. In a letter to finance minister Mr. Arun Jaitley, AVM leader stated that 5 lac Punjabi’s live in Birmingham and Air India first started 3 day week Amritsar-Birmingham direct flight. Being a successful flight its frequency was increased to daily. Only one aero airplane was used for this flight and vegetables, flowers, fruits were also exported from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to UK. Later on its route was changed to Amritsar-Delhi-Birmingham.All passengers in this flight are from Punjab. Now this flight is in loss because Air India has to put 2 aero planes instead of one. Secondly it has to fly 40 minutes to Delhi and then 40 minutes back again fly over again Amritsar. Air India has to spend about 5 lac extra cost to fly to Delhi. At present this flight does not carry air cargo.If there is direct flight vegetables, flowers, fruits will be exported from Punjab, Himachal Pardesh. Amritsar airport will earn Rs 10 crore annually with this flight which is in loss of Rs 52 crore.
At present Amritsar-New Delhi-Birmingham Take-off from Amritsar 10:30 am,arrival in Delhi 11:45 am, take-off from Delhi 1:30 pm, arrival in Birmingham 6 am, Take-off from Birmingham 9:30 pm, arrival in Delhi 10:05 am, take-off from Delhi 12:05 pm, arrival in Amritsar 1:10 pm. Being a long route Air India has to use 2 aircrafts . It takes about 8.30 hours to fly to Birmingham from Amritsar and about 8 hours from Birmingham to Amritsar. So it needs only one aero plane for Amritsar-Birmingham direct flight.
