NRIs upset as BMI flight cancelled from Amritsar airport

Published October 15, 2012 | 1:07 pm

Ravinder Gill

Amritsar: In yet another bad news for NRIs wanting to travel Amritsar through Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, the international carrier British Midland International (BMI) is going to cancel its flight on October 26 even as its annual loss rises to Rs. 35 crore.

BMI’s withdrawal will make it difficult for Airports Authority of India (AAI) to manage the airport as it will incur a loss of Rs. 3 to 4 crore annually for the airport. The recent jolt for the Airport came even after the airport has added a new terminal building and facilities such as aerobridges and advanced landing system.

The airport has been struggling to retain international airlines ever since Singapore Airlines , Air India (Toronto) and Jet Airways stopped their international operations here.

The major reason for withdrawal by airlines is being cited as Business Class going vacant.

It may be mentioned, after Air India cancelled its Toronto flight, passengers travelling to Punjab from North America and Europe started opting for BMI flights but now with its withdrawal, the NRIs have no option but to travel to Delhi for heading to international destinations.

Some concerned NRIs feel that Indian government is giving step motherly treatment to the Amritsar Airport and as they have spent a lot on the renovation of the Delhi International Airport , they want the NRIs to travel through New Delhi.

While talking to SAANJ News, a NRI Kulwant Brar from London rued that after cancellation of this flight, they have been left with no option but to travel to New Delhi after wasting their precious time and money.

Posted by Saanj News on October 15, 2012. Filed under COMMUNITY. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry