|
Birmingham wants Air India to
resume flights
WSN Network
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. Mr 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 Parlia ment from the West
Midlands.
8
April 2009
|
Read Also