Airlines To Cut Down Flights From Amritsar Airport

[lsingh]

this was bound to happen, whenever I went to Amritsar It was always empty of passenger.

Which airline u traveled? Singapore airline to Amritsar usually booked full and its been like that since the first day...

yes they are always fully booked, that why Jet started a daily flight to Amritsar after initially starting with 3 flights due to the huge demand. Amritsar was one of the fastest growing airports in india until recently

The fares to Amritsar have always been higher than Delhi so this may put people off, so these should be lower. The landing charges at Amritsar are double Delhi which is very odd and should be reduced.

An airport was going to built near Jullandar , then Ludhiana and now Chandigargh but all failed due to lack of funds. So if they can complete one at Amritsar that would be a result.

Amritsar is the religious and capital city of the Sikhs and thats why it should be developed. Before 1947 Amritsar was the main trading centre of North India.

[Dr_c]

This is nothing but yet another attempt by the government to keep the Punjab behind everyone else. What do they expect when they won’t give the routes to anyone? BA and Virgin both wanted routes to Amritsar yet they would not give them.

Jet airways have stopped there direct flight form the 21st Nov (I think), It will land at Delhi then after you have “identified your luggage” it will go to Amritsar. They told a close relative of mine that it was due to weather conditions. I know they had a serious incident there recently.

Depends on who you speak to they claim that they are closing that airport down to International traffic due to a threat from Pakistan. How can you justify double the landing charge compared to the capital city of India? It’s like saying it cost you twice as much to land at Bam than it will at Heathrow, logic, I think not.

Ultimately like always the Indian government is holding back the prosperity of the Punjab. They have seen that the city is beginning to prosper and that they are losing traffic to Delhi during this economic downturn so like always let’s make the Punjab suffer.

Long for the days when we get an Independent Punjab away from these Hindus.

[pun9ab1]

this was bound to happen, whenever I went to Amritsar It was always empty of passenger.

Which airline u traveled? Singapore airline to Amritsar usually booked full and its been like that since the first day...

I usually traveled to Delhi first as I have a relatives there and took Kingfisher to Amritsar. The flight would be around 2/3 full. I do believe that landing charges are doubled than that of Delhi.

[Singhson]

Well, as of 1st December all Jet Airways flights from London Heathrow to Amritsar, will stop at Delhi for 2hrs. I guess that's the same for the return flight too.

I hope they can come to a compromise (unlikely) as Air India will be the only direct flight left. And from what I always hear, it sucks.

[lsingh]

Well, as of 1st December all Jet Airways flights from London Heathrow to Amritsar, will stop at Delhi for 2hrs. I guess that's the same for the return flight too.

I hope they can come to a compromise (unlikely) as Air India will be the only direct flight left. And from what I always hear, it sucks.

Its a shame as the Jet flight was good quality. With the recession and the Indian Stockmarket down 70 % sine the peak this year , many airlines will be in trouble. They were after business customers but most firms have cut back on travel and send people economy now.

Amritsar was growing fast under the Capt Amarinder Govt , seems to have been sabotaged now.

Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan airlines are still flying there.

[lsingh]

Khangura’s posers to govt

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 9

Reacting to the ruling alliance’s criticism of the cancellation of international flights from the Rajasansi international airport in Amritsar, Congress MLA Jassi Khangura has questioned the seriousness of these leaders, saying they prefer to travel abroad from other cities rather than promoting the Amritsar airport.

Raising a series of questions, Khangura has said: “While demanding the restoration of flights there is also need to do some introspection on the issue. Why has Navjot Singh Sidhu never taken an international flight from Amritsar? Why has the Akali-BJP government not mandated its officers and ministers to fly internationally from Amritsar? How much money has the Punjab government spent on international flights from other cities that could have originated from Amritsar?”.

Khangura has alleged, “The Rajasansi airport has been deliberately undermined by the Akali-BJP government to promote the Chandigarh airport and their vested property interests in Mohali, near the airport”.

He has further questioned as to why the last NRI sammelan was held in Chandigarh when it should have been held at Amritsar with the NRI legislators and other guests flying directly to Amritsar. Why has this government not undertaken a single initiative to promote Amritsar airport?

He wants to know from the government why has the additional land required for the Rajasansi airport not been acquired by the Punjab government to date while it had displayed a relentless fervour to acquire thousands of acres for dubious projects that may never see the light of day?

In a statement issued here today, he has said has demanded a CBI enquiry into land dealings around the Chandigarh airport over the past 20 months. Also, he has questioned why did the Punjab government only reward farmers who owned land bordering Chandigarh at the rate of Rs 1.5 crore per acre while selling other land bordering Chandigarh to the LIC for some Rs 50 crore per acre?

Saving Rajasansi

Secy to call high-level meeting

Ashok Sethi

Amritsar, November 9

Joint secretary, ministry of civil aviation, K.N. Srivastva today held out a promise to hold a high-powered meeting to discuss the entire gamut of issues, which were forcing international and domestic carriers to shun the local airport.

Srivastva held a meeting with deputy commissioner K.S. Pannu, senior officer of the Airports Authority of India and the representatives of various international and domestic airlines at the airport. Pannu impressed on the senior bureaucrat to look into all the issues which were forcing the Singapore airlines and Jet Airways to curtail their flight operations.

The joint secretary assured the officers that he would take up the matter with the top officers of the airlines to review their decision about cutting down the flights from Amritsar and said he would also make a presentation during the meeting of board of directors of the Airports Authority of India.

Earlier, he reviewed various ongoing projects to upgrade infrastructure at the airport and directed the officers to put up boards indicating the dates by which the airport extensions would be completed so that the passengers were assured of the facilities in a definite time period.

The deputy commissioner said although other international airports had seen considerable drop in the handling of passengers to the extent of 10 to 20 per cent, there was no considerable drop at the local airport. It was the poor cargo handling, which has created serious concerns for the airlines.

Advocating a total revamp of the import-export cargo, the deputy commissioner said the cargo terminus lacked basic facilities like electronic data interface (EDI), a major requirement for the exporters to claim duty drawback. Owing to this they were forced to shift their cargo operations to Delhi and elsewhere. He said the ministry of finance should operationalise the EDI system at the airport on a war footing.

He also raised the urgent issue of setting up a bonded warehouse facility at the airport to encourage exporters to send their consignments to various destinations abroad.

Meanwhile, the minister concerned had instituted a parliamentary panel of the ministry to look into all the issues and review of the working of the airport project, which had been delayed to various procedural lapses.

[lsingh]

This is nothing but yet another attempt by the government to keep the Punjab behind everyone else. What do they expect when they won’t give the routes to anyone? BA and Virgin both wanted routes to Amritsar yet they would not give them.

Jet airways have stopped there direct flight form the 21st Nov (I think), It will land at Delhi then after you have “identified your luggage” it will go to Amritsar. They told a close relative of mine that it was due to weather conditions. I know they had a serious incident there recently.

Depends on who you speak to they claim that they are closing that airport down to International traffic due to a threat from Pakistan. How can you justify double the landing charge compared to the capital city of India? It’s like saying it cost you twice as much to land at Bam than it will at Heathrow, logic, I think not.

Ultimately like always the Indian government is holding back the prosperity of the Punjab. They have seen that the city is beginning to prosper and that they are losing traffic to Delhi during this economic downturn so like always let’s make the Punjab suffer.

Long for the days when we get an Independent Punjab away from these Hindus.

Cut down in flights to hit farmers hard

Ashok Sethi

Amritsar, November 14

The state’s progressive vegetable farmers will be the hardest hit in view of the withdrawal of regular Jet Airways flight to London from the Rajasansi International Airport, as they will not be able to send regular daily consignments of fresh organic vegetables worth several lakhs.

Two major groups, that have invested several crores to channelise vegetable exports to the highly discerning NRI population in England, feel the government has failed to protect the interests of Punjab farmers who had diversified into vegetable production.

One such progressive farmer Harinder Singh Bajwa of nearby Sarhali village in Tarn Taran district told The Tribune that he had been in the profession of agriculture in Nigeria for the past 10 years and had moved back home to establish markets for fresh vegetables in England. He said the cutting down of flights would be a big setback to his determination to foray into exports.

Bajwa said the Punjab Agro Export Corporation had provided subsidised refrigerator van for ferrying perishable cargo from his farm to the airport, where a perishable cargo complex had been set up for the export of vegetables and fruits.

The Bharti Mittal group, which has also diversified into vegetable farming near Ludhiana and has been exporting baby corn and other vegetables to England, has also felt let down by the withdrawal of flights.

In charge of the perishable goods cargo complex at the airport Budhiraj said it had been a great boon to farmers of the state. He said farm produce to the extent of 60 to 70 tonnes was regularly being exported every month since July 2006.

[lsingh]

Passenger numbers were increasing at Amritsar it states while at other Indian airports numbers fell sharpley. So why cut Amritsar flights?

Higher landing rates force airlines to stop operation from Amritsar airport

JAGMOHAN SINGH

Friday, 14 November 2008

AMRITSAR: The international airport at Rajasansi near here which remained popular with the Punjab based NRI's seems to be heading for gloomy days since number of airlines have announced to stop operation from here.

The Singapore Airlines and Jet airways have already announced closure of operations from the airport due to heavy landing charges.

The sources said that Union Civil Aviation Ministry was charging Rs.1.54 lac landing charges per flight in Amritsar from Singapore Airlines as compared to Rs.75,000 charges by Delhi Airport. Similarly Jet Airways was shelling Rs.94,000 as compared to Rs.69,000 paid by them in Delhi. It is nearly double the landing charges in Amritsar.

MP's and MLAs Including Chief Minister from Punjab have requested Union Ministry to immediately lower the landing charges and make it lower than Delhi Airport so that Delhi Airport could be decongested besides helping the NRI population of Punjab.

BJP member parliament Navjot Singh Sidhu has suggested the rationalization of the landing fee structures which, at the moment, is 50 percent higher than what is charged at Delhi airport, besides early completion of construction, installation of more baggage x-ray machines, and streamlining the parking and taxi charges at the airport would be helpful.

Sidhu suggested promoting cargo handling from Amritsar so that cargo shipped by road at the moment from the region can be shifted to the airport which could go over 2000 tons per month from existing below

100 percent .

Rajasansi airport at Amritsar is one of the oldest airports in the country which became operational in 1949 with the service of Afghan airlines, which was upgraded to international airport to decongest Delhi airport since 32 percent of traffic originated from Panjab.

Golden Temple Amritsar is the temporal seats of Sikhs living all over the world and starting of international flights in Raja Sansi Airport had facilitated their Annual pilgrimage. The sudden stoppage of flights would now cause lot of inconvenience to lacs of pilgrims to Sri Darbar Sahib and Mata Vaishno Devi, said SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar.

More than one hundred flights operate from this airport. Now it is a serious matter over the decision of few International Airlines (Singapore Airline & Jet Airways) to withdraw their international flights from Amritsar. This is after Trans Aero which had already withdrawn its flights, said Border Industry president S.S. Saini.With the closure of certain international flights, International connectivity of Punjab with Far east, Australia & New Zealand, as well as with USA & Europe will be radically impaired besides cargo moments to these countries from the holy city, added airport official.

Realizing the potential of growth and decongestion of Delhi Airport (32% Passenger traffic was from Punjab), Government of India decided to upgrade Amritsar International Airport. Since upgradation, Amritsar International Airport registered 35 % growth annually highest in the country. ( Due to economic crunch, there has been decline in passenger traffic at all airports (Ahmedabad 20.7%, Kolkata 15.3%, Mumbai 10.2% but Amritsar International Airport has registered increase of 0.9%.) Visualizing the growth there has been a tremendous increase in investments by big investors at Amritsar, particularly Hotel industry, said leading industrialist Gunbir Singh.

As per the Airport Authority, known very convenient and well-liked for NRIs this airport last year, catered to nearly 600,000 passengers. Nearly 490,000 of these passengers were international fliers. Sidhu has also urged the Punjab Government to release necessary funds for acquisition of 40 acres of land which has already been notified to attract more airlines to operate from here. It is pertinent to mention here that Union Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel has appointed a high level five-member committee to look into the issue, comprising of M.S. Gill, Minister of State for Sports and Youth Welfare, Sidhu, Tarlochan Singh, MP, Rajya Sabha, A.S. Kohli, Regional Director, Air India (North), and Dr. Rama Lingham, Chairman, Airport Authority India. Airport authority confirmed that Singapore Airlines has been considering dropping more than 10 flights a week across metro towns in the country due to lack of tourist and business visitor to the island country.

[lsingh]

Passenger numbers were increasing at Amritsar it states while at other Indian airports numbers fell sharpley. So why cut Amritsar flights?

Higher landing rates force airlines to stop operation from Amritsar airport

JAGMOHAN SINGH

Friday, 14 November 2008

AMRITSAR: The international airport at Rajasansi near here which remained popular with the Punjab based NRI's seems to be heading for gloomy days since number of airlines have announced to stop operation from here.

The Singapore Airlines and Jet airways have already announced closure of operations from the airport due to heavy landing charges.

The sources said that Union Civil Aviation Ministry was charging Rs.1.54 lac landing charges per flight in Amritsar from Singapore Airlines as compared to Rs.75,000 charges by Delhi Airport. Similarly Jet Airways was shelling Rs.94,000 as compared to Rs.69,000 paid by them in Delhi. It is nearly double the landing charges in Amritsar.

MP's and MLAs Including Chief Minister from Punjab have requested Union Ministry to immediately lower the landing charges and make it lower than Delhi Airport so that Delhi Airport could be decongested besides helping the NRI population of Punjab.

BJP member parliament Navjot Singh Sidhu has suggested the rationalization of the landing fee structures which, at the moment, is 50 percent higher than what is charged at Delhi airport, besides early completion of construction, installation of more baggage x-ray machines, and streamlining the parking and taxi charges at the airport would be helpful.

Sidhu suggested promoting cargo handling from Amritsar so that cargo shipped by road at the moment from the region can be shifted to the airport which could go over 2000 tons per month from existing below

100 percent .

Rajasansi airport at Amritsar is one of the oldest airports in the country which became operational in 1949 with the service of Afghan airlines, which was upgraded to international airport to decongest Delhi airport since 32 percent of traffic originated from Panjab.

Golden Temple Amritsar is the temporal seats of Sikhs living all over the world and starting of international flights in Raja Sansi Airport had facilitated their Annual pilgrimage. The sudden stoppage of flights would now cause lot of inconvenience to lacs of pilgrims to Sri Darbar Sahib and Mata Vaishno Devi, said SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar.

More than one hundred flights operate from this airport. Now it is a serious matter over the decision of few International Airlines (Singapore Airline & Jet Airways) to withdraw their international flights from Amritsar. This is after Trans Aero which had already withdrawn its flights, said Border Industry president S.S. Saini.With the closure of certain international flights, International connectivity of Punjab with Far east, Australia & New Zealand, as well as with USA & Europe will be radically impaired besides cargo moments to these countries from the holy city, added airport official.

Realizing the potential of growth and decongestion of Delhi Airport (32% Passenger traffic was from Punjab), Government of India decided to upgrade Amritsar International Airport. Since upgradation, Amritsar International Airport registered 35 % growth annually highest in the country. ( Due to economic crunch, there has been decline in passenger traffic at all airports (Ahmedabad 20.7%, Kolkata 15.3%, Mumbai 10.2% but Amritsar International Airport has registered increase of 0.9%.) Visualizing the growth there has been a tremendous increase in investments by big investors at Amritsar, particularly Hotel industry, said leading industrialist Gunbir Singh.

As per the Airport Authority, known very convenient and well-liked for NRIs this airport last year, catered to nearly 600,000 passengers. Nearly 490,000 of these passengers were international fliers. Sidhu has also urged the Punjab Government to release necessary funds for acquisition of 40 acres of land which has already been notified to attract more airlines to operate from here. It is pertinent to mention here that Union Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel has appointed a high level five-member committee to look into the issue, comprising of M.S. Gill, Minister of State for Sports and Youth Welfare, Sidhu, Tarlochan Singh, MP, Rajya Sabha, A.S. Kohli, Regional Director, Air India (North), and Dr. Rama Lingham, Chairman, Airport Authority India. Airport authority confirmed that Singapore Airlines has been considering dropping more than 10 flights a week across metro towns in the country due to lack of tourist and business visitor to the island country.

Saving Rajasansi

Central panel for drastic steps

Varinder Walia and Ashok Sethi

Rajasansi, December 16

The high-powered parliamentary panel on civil aviation, at a meeting held here today, decided to take drastic corrective measure to pave way for the creation of a conducive environment for airlines to re-start their operations at the Rajastansi International Airport here.

The termination of international flight operations by Jet Airways and the proposed withdrawal of flight operations by Singapore Airlines by February next had led to the formation of the panel of parliamentarians comprising of Dr M.S.Gill , minister of state for sports, Tarlohan Singh, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Navjot Singh Sidhu besides chairman designate of the Airports Authority of India, V.P. Aggarwal and D.S. Kohli, regional director of Air-India, North Zone, along with other senior officials for taking immediate measures to restart the cancelled flights.

Dr Gill said he had been in touch with Naresh Goyal, chairman of Jet Airways, to reconsider its decision to restart the flight operations in view of the conducive atmosphere being created at the Rajasansi Airport. Dr Gill said he would talk to the defence minister and the Chief of the Air staff in connection with the expansion of the airport.

To develop the City side development project on 27 acres, he said fresh bids from private parties would be invited under public-private partnership module to exploit the commercial aspect of the airport.

The ministry of finance has already given clearance to the Customs officials to install EDI (electronic data interface) for speeding up the clearance of duty drawback claims filed by exporters.

Dr Gill said this process had already been set in motion and was likely to be commissioned by the end of this month with proper networking with national server of the Customs Department. The airport has already allocated a special room for the setting up of the EDI system. Local MP Navjot Sidhu said the step would attract leading exporters to send their cargo from this airport. He said he would urge the leading industries, including Ranbaxy, to despatch their cargo from this airport.

In view of the strategic and sensitive location of the airport, the government has taken a significant decision to install highly sophisticated radar system with a range of 300 nautical mile-range. The airport authority would soon acquire land for this radar installation.

Dr Gill said the issue of bonded trucks laden with export cargo would also be cleared from this airport as he ensured to take up the matter with the Delhi Customs Commissionerate to allow free movement of trucks from this airport.

Dr Gill informed that the members of the committee were fully impressed with ongoing construction works worth Rs 144 crore for the upgrade of infrastructure at the airport and said they were assured by the airport management that it would be completed by the February-end. He further said the committee would make its detailed recommendations for the overall development of the airport within a week to the civil aviation ministry.

Describing the AAI totally supportive and cooperative, Gill further said the district administration had assured the committee to provide 44 acres required for the expansion and setting up of certain facilities within a month