Now direct flights from Punjab to UK
In some good news for the people of Punjab, Air India on Thursday announced direct flights between Amritsar and Birmingham.
The new flight will operate twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and will be served by Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
For the onward journey, the Air India plane will fly on Delhi-Amritsar-Birmingham route and for the return journey it will operate on Birmingham-Amritsar-Delhi route, according to a statement issued by the airline.
"This is the first direct flight being operated by any airline between Punjab and the UK," an airline spokesperson said.
Air India also operates two daily flights between Amritsar and London but these are routed via Delhi.
The flight AI 117 from Delhi will leave at 11.20 am and reach Amritsar at 12.25 am.
The flight will depart from Amritsar at 1.55 pm and reach Birmingham at 5.15pm local time.
On the return leg, AI-118 will take off from Birmingham at 6.45 pm and reach Amritsar the next day at 7.45 am. The plane will leave from Amritsar at 9.15 am and arrive in Delhi at 10.30 am.
"Air India's direct flight from Amritsar to Birmingham and back will not only fulfil the needs of the ethnic community to fly direct to holy city of Golden temple but also help to develop better tourism and trade relations in general," the statement added. PTI
