Fight for Birmingham-India air route goes to Europe
Mar 26 2009 by Tom Scotney, Birmingham Post
The fight to restore a direct air link between Birmingham and India is being taken to Europe after West Midlands MEP Neena Gill said the Indian government’s protectionist attitude violated the spirit of an agreement with the EU.
Earlier this month, national carrier Air India said it would not be renewing its popular Birmingham-Amritsar route, which had been suspended in October last year as the firm tried to protect its Heathrow routes.
The decision meant Birmingham was left with no direct, non-stop link to India. Birmingham airport has been courting other airlines from the subcontinent – such as Jet Airways – as potential replacements, but Indian regulations mean that, as things stand, only Air India has a licence to fly direct routes between Birmingham and India.
In a letter to the Birmingham Post, Labour MEP Ms Gill said she was “astonished” by the decision not to reinstate the flights, and said she would be taking the matter up with the European Commission.
Speaking about the Indian government’s refusal to allow other airlines to fly direct from Birmingham to Amritsar, she said: “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.
“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.
“I am contacted all the time by constituents regarding what was a convenient service between Birmingham and the Punjab that served both the business and personal interests of so many in the Midlands and that avoided lengthy and difficult connections at Delhi.
“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.”
Air India withdrew the Birmingham routes for fear of losing slots at Heathrow, even though it admitted the Birmingham flights were actually more profitable than those from London. A large proportion of Birmingham’s Asian community has links to North India, which is served by Amritsar.
Earlier this week, Jordana Pavel, the Consul General of India in Birmingham, said it was important for the city to have a link to India
There are two routes from Birmingham to Amritsar at the moment, passing through Ashgabat and Bratislava. They will be joined by a new route in April, run by Akal Air, which stops in Vienna.
