Birmingham wants Air India to resume flights

LONDON: Business and civic leaders in the west Midlands have urged Air India to resume direct flights from Birmingham to Amritsar in view of increasing trade links of the region with India and demand from the people of Indian-origin in the region.

Air India stopped its direct flights on the Birmingham-Amritsar sector in October 2008 to focus on its routes to and from Heathrow.

Joe Kelly, chief executive of the Birmingham airport that recently gained permission for expansion plans, said: "It is economically important when you consider that Tata, who bought Jaguar Land Rover, cannot fly direct to Birmingham from India. This is the single most important transport priority for the entire region".

While flights between India and Europe are governed by the agreement, those to the UK are governed by the bilateral civil aviation agreement between the two countries.

"Only last September the EU and India signed an aviation agreement. I believe this decision contravenes the sentiment of this agreement and intend to take this matter up here with the EC (European Commission)," said Neena Gill, Member of European Parliament from the West Midlands.

Pavel, Consul General of India in Birmingham, said it was important for the city to have a link to India. Jerry Blackett, chief executive of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, said: "Flights to Amritsar are a high priority for Birmingham and the West Midlands. I think what we would now expect is for the Indian government to soften its protectionist stance.

"If Air India aren't returning to Birmingham, we want to see Kingfisher or Jet take up the slack, but the Indian government needs to remove its protectionist approach where it has to give approval for new airlines to fly here".

"As such I am taking this issue up with representatives of the airline here in the UK and with the Indian High Commission. I have also written to the Indian minister for aviation and believe an explanation of what smacks of a protectionist policy would be highly desirable for the people of Birmingham," said Gill.

"In the current economic climate it is vital that we encourage and develop links to their fullest potential, for it is strong connections such as the one between the Midlands and India that will ensure our region's status as a leading light in the British economy," she added.

Currently there are two indirect routes from Birmingham to Amritsar, through Ashgabat and Bratislava. A new route operated by Akal Air, which stops in Vienna, has started this month.-