Air India launches non-stop flight from Amritsar to London Gatwick

​Air India, India’s leading airline and a Star Alliance member, launched its first-ever non-stop flight to London Gatwick, from Amritsar today. It has now become the first and only Indian airline to operate at Gatwick Airport— the second-largest airport in the UK. The services to Gatwick are in line with Air India’s ongoing endeavor of enhancing connectivity between India’s major cities and leading global destinations to provide more choices to its passengers.   

Equipped with 18 Business class seats featuring fully-flat beds and 238 Economy class seats, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner will be operating three flights a week on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday from Amritsar. In addition to the flights from Amritsar, Air India will operate 9 other weekly flights scheduled from Ahmedabad, Goa, and Kochi—making it a total of 12 weekly flights to Gatwick. These operations will reaffirm Air India's operations, presence, and network in the UK. In total, the airline now operates 49 flights in the UK per week— 43 flights to London (Heathrow and Gatwick) and six flights to Birmingham. Air India also operates 31 weekly flights to Heathrow, London from Delhi and Mumbai.

The Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, General (Retd) V.K. Singh, and BJP National Secretary, Punjab, Mr. Tarun Chugh graced the virtual inauguration ceremony of the flight. They flagged it off along with Mr. Rajiv Bansal, Secretary, Civil Aviation, and Air India CEO & MD Campbell Wilson. 

On the occasion, Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, said, “It is a historic day for Amritsar and Punjab. This new connection will bring a new impetus to the state and provide key connectivity with the UK, bringing people closer. This will also boost trade and tourism and open up new employment opportunities.” Mr. Jyotiraditya M. Scindia also commended Air India for the fleet acquisition plan and expressed hope that Air India will soon connect all the continents and make India the global hub of aviation.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, said, “As part of our five-year transformation plan, Vihaan.AI, we plan to significantly enhance connectivity between India’s major cities and prime global destinations and be acknowledged as India’s Flying Ambassador to the world. These flights will also fulfil the growing demand for direct air connectivity from various important destinations in India to the UK and from the UK to these popular cities in India.” 

Golden Temple, Amritsar: Photo Copyright Reuters

About Amritsar
Amritsar is the largest city in the state of Punjab, in the north of India and is a major cultural centre for the country. The Sikhs’ main place of worship, the Golden Temple or Harmandir Sahib, is located in the heart of Amritsar and is well worth visiting for spirituality. Alongside the Golden Temple, the city has many spiritual and historical locations, such as the Partition Museum, Wagah Border and the Shri Durgiana Mandir, which can all be explored. The Punjabi culture is unique and beautiful, and by visiting the Sadda Pind, which is a Punjabi Culture Living Museum, you have the opportunity to authentically witness the culture through folk dances, cultural performances, local handicrafts, songs, stories and the cuisine; it is an amazing experience for both the young and old, which can be experienced as a single day visit or a stay visit.

Many festivals take place each year in Amritsar, and we highly recommend experiencing, as they’re filled with feasting, traditional music, dancing and fairs, producing a memory that’ll last a lifetime. Punjabi cuisine is recognized and enjoyed all around the world, with some of the best being found around Amritsar, where you can even try some of the city's own specialties. ​