India flights increased after airspace restrictions are lifted
AIR India has increased its service to Delhi and Amritsar from Birmingham Airport.
The route is once again running six times a week directly from Birmingham, following a short period of reduced frequencies due to airspace restrictions.
In July, Pakistan fully reopened its airspace to civilian flights nearly five months after it was shut following a standoff with India, forcing some services to reroute around Pakistan.
The row came about after India conducted an air strike against what it said was a terrorist training camp in Pakistani territory.
Direct services from Birmingham are available three times a week to Delhi and then onwards to Amritsar on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays.
They are also running three times a week to Amritsar and onwards to Delhi each Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
Air India first began operating from Birmingham Airport in 2013, with direct flights to Delhi.
The airline expanded its Birmingham operation in 2018 with nonstop services to Amritsar, serving a demand from Midlands-based customers wanting to visit the Punjab region.
Aman Puri, the Consul General of India, Birmingham said: “The Midlands has emerged as an area of robust growth in the UK and Birmingham is a city which is equipped with vast opportunities in both commerce and economic areas.
“To have direct flights operating out of Birmingham for the BritishIndian community is just great and is a further step towards the UK and India collaborating to strengthen our trade and investment relationship further.”
Airport chief executive Nick Barton said: “There is a strong demand in the Midlands to Delhi and Amritsar, particularly for those travelling to visit family and friends in the Punjab region which is why Air India’s Birmingham operation has grown from strength to strength.”
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “With our region home to around 200,000 people of Indian heritage and India being one of the biggest investors in the West Midlands, these routes allow us to continue to build our already strong business relationship.”