Call to increase Indian flights

West Midlands MPs call for increase in flights from Birmingham to Amritsar.

A cross-party group of MPs representing large Indian diaspora communities across the West Midlands, have urged the Indian Minister for Civil Aviation to increase the frequency of direct flights between Birmingham and Amritsar.

The letter comes following the Minster’s announcement last week that direct flights from Birmingham to Amritsar would be reinstated from August after flights were suspended owing to air strikes over Pakistan.

The letter, organised by the UK’s first female Sikh MP, Preet Kaur Gill, and signed by a dozen West Midlands MPs, says: “The recent reinstatement of direct flights from Birmingham to Amritsar and Delhi was very welcome, although it is a shame that the frequency of these flights has been reduced.”

The letter went on to say: “With the approach of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 550th birth anniversary celebrations, we are writing to ask for your assistance in increasing the number of direct flights from Birmingham to Amritsar.

“These celebrations are a huge event in the Sikh calendar, which we expect to prompt a surge in the number of people trying to travel to Amritsar. Our concern is that current flight schedules will fail to accommodate the demand, and ask that flights are increased and that the capacity for direct flights is looked into.”