First Plane from London Lands at Amritsar Intl Ai

[gupt faujaan]

Raja Sansi (Amritsar), October 16

A chapter to aviation history was added when today first non-stop tourist chartered flight landed at international airport here. All passengers were British nationals including NRIs and international tour operators who were part of the 220-member group in the inaugural flight.

Most of them were on tour to explore the possibility of more flights before the UNESCO bestows world heritage status on the Golden Temple. After spending a few hours in the city, the promoters and the group would return later in the evening.

Warm welcome was accorded to the group at the airport when the passengers alighted from brand new boeing 757 ER of Fly Jet at 11.15 a.m. Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, honorary Secretary, SGPC, Ms Ratna, chairperson, Improvement Trust, Mr Kulbir Singh Kang, Commissioner Municipal Corporation, Mr V.S. Mulekar, Director Airport and students and principal of BBK DAV College (for women) and office-bearers of the Chief Khalsa Dewan received the passengers. First weekly flight, however, will land here on November 1 — the Punjab Day.

As many as 19 such flights have already been booked giving indications that more than 4500 British nationals and NRIs would visit the holy city in the next six months. Great demand for the most economical tourist chartered flight has posed a challenge to leading players operating from Europe and the UK to India.

Even as the Indian nationals are not permitted by the government of India to use the tourist chartered flights, yet it has not dampened enthusiasm of the promoters of POO UK group which has taken the initiative to start the chartered flights.

The non-stop flight takes seven hours a

nd 38 minutes which saves time wasted during transit and refuelling in the regular flights the passengers, especially the old and handicapped were happy as they were not asked to change flights to city. Young NRI promoter Jimmy Pooni who belongs to Punnia village in Jalandhar district claimed that the start of the nonstop chartered flight between England and Raja Sansi was a landmark in the history of tourism. He said the tariff had been kept quiet low inclusive of air fare featuring seven-night stay for £ 399 and subsequently for 14 nights is £ 429, while for 21 nights it is £ 449 only. He said the passengers are picked from Gatwick near London and also from Birmingham international airport.

Mr Pooni said that there was tourist potential for British nationals and Europeans to explore north India as a major place of interest. He said in case the situation in J and K improved the valley would be another tourist destination besides Himachal and Chandigarh. He said the company had launched a campaign to the Golden Temple as the tourist spot among of the POO UK group-the UVI Holidays limited- pioneers in heralding tourist boom to Goa, Kerala and Agra, the chairman of the group Mr Wilson P. Fernadez said that they started the first chartered tourist flight to Goa in 1986 and today there were 24 flights bringing in hundreds of tourists from the UK to Golden beaches of Goa. Similarly the company would promote the holy city as a tourist destination in coming months.

[jarnail singh]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

its about time an all

lol