New Delhi, March 2: The FlyAmritsar Initiative has called on Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to prioritize direct air travel to Amritsar during his bilateral talks with the Indian government. Advocacy groups maintained that establishing non-stop flights from Vancouver and Toronto to Amritsar is a critical step in strengthening the “people-to-people bridge” between the two countries.
Under current air service agreements, Canadian carriers are prohibited from flying into Amritsar, as they are limited to six specific Indian metropolitan hubs. Conversely, Indian airlines have the freedom to operate from any Indian city into Canada. Sameep Singh Gumtala of the FlyAmritsar Initiative stated that the immediate solution lies with Indian carriers like Air India, which already possess the necessary rights but have yet to launch direct Punjab-Canada services.
“Prime Minister Carney’s visit represents a reset in bilateral relations,” Mr. Gumtala and colleague Anantdeep Singh Dhillon declared. They affirmed that the demand for the route is undeniable, citing Air India’s upcoming expansion of Toronto flights. The activists asserted that direct connectivity would spare thousands of travelers the grueling transit through Delhi, providing a more dignified and efficient path to one of the world’s most visited spiritual destinations.
The push for these flights has gained bipartisan support in Canada, with leaders from both the Liberal and Conservative parties backing the initiative. Activists affirmed that the current visit provides a unique window for Prime Minister Carney to negotiate a more flexible aviation framework that reflects the needs of the massive Punjabi diaspora and the burgeoning student population moving between the two nations.
