UK based NRI Gujaratis remind Praful Patel of his direct flight promise
UK based NRI Gujaratis remind Praful Patel of his direct flight promise
By Japan K Pathak
Ahmedabad, DeshGujarat, 23 August, 2010
National Congress of Gujarati Organisations (UK), an umbrella organization of 105 Gujarati organizations active in England, has asked Indian Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, why there is no direct flight between Ahmedabad and London in new Air India winter schedule for year 2010-11.
On last fourth of July, Praful Patel had publicly announced and promised that there would be a new Ahmedabad-London direct flight starting from the month of October when winter schedule will be effective. Patel had announced this while inaugurating new Ahmedabad airport international terminal, in presence of three union ministers and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
A representation note written by National Congress of Gujarati Organisations(UK) states:
____________________________________________
Shri Praful Patel,
Civil Aviation minister, Government of India,
Gujaratis living in the UK and also in the USA have a strong desire that direct flights from the UK to Ahmedabad are reintroduced very soon.
Your speech, on 4 July 2010, during the opening ceremony of the new airport building at Sardar Patel International Airport at Ahmedabad gave us a lot of hope and people felt reassured that direct flights will be introduced in the winter timetable.
However, after seeing the latest timetable for the flights commencing at the end of October 2010 our hopes are dashed. I attach a copy of Air India’s Winter Schedule.
You have already been presented with the reasons as to why Gujaratis sincerely seek direct flights. Namely, the journey time would be shorter, as the inconvenience of having to stop at Bombay, Delhi etc. will be averted. All the passengers, especially, the elderly, the frail and parents of young children will particularly benefit as direct flights will make their journey much less arduous.
We note with pleasure that Air India has implemented a programme to renew and enlarge its fleet of aircrafts. It will be one of the leading airlines and will have a young fleet particularly as it has introduced over 45 brand new B777 and A320 family aircraft and over the next few years it is intending to grow the fleet to 180 aircrafts including 27 Boeing B787 Dreamliners.
On behalf of National Congress of Gujarati Organisations (UK) and the members of 105 Gujarati Organisations it represents, I request you to at least start by
making some of the flights direct to Ahmedabad and then later on introduce more direct flights.
I would appreciate your early reply.
With kind regards.
Yours sincerely,
Pravin Amin, Chairman.
__________________________________________
A copy of this note above has also been sent to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and DeshGujarat.Com.
NCGO Chairman Pravin Amin told DeshGujarat that recently, during the celebration of India’s Independence Day at Indian Gymkhana, Isleworth, UK, they talked to Sheilendra Tomar, Marketing Manager – UK & Ireland, Air India. As the latest Flight Schedule did not include direct flights, they asked him of Air India’s intentions. In response, they were told that direct flights to Ahmedabad were not included in the timetable and NCGO needs to take this up with Shri Praful Patel, Minister for Aviation, India.
Amin said, they have checked Jet Airlines schedule too, but any direct flight between Ahemdabad and London is absent in Air India, Jet or any other Airlines schedule of coming winter.
It should be mentioned that presently Ahmedabad is connected with London through Air India flight with one stop at Mumbai. The travelers catch Air India flight that departs from Ahemdabad at 21.05 and reaches Mumbai in an hour. Then all the passengers from Ahmedabad sit there for about four and half hours. The flight leaves Mumbai airport at 2.30 am, and then reaches London directly. Similar thing happens on return journey too.
According to the winter schedule of Air India, announced on its website, the plane for London would leave Ahmedabad airport at 22.30 and reach Mumbai airport at 23.30. After two and half hours, it will leave Mumbai airport at 2.05 am to reach London at 6.35 am(UK time). This means the journey will be faster, and halt at Mumbai is also minimized, but still, the direct flight promise is not kept.
Praful Patel has two full months to act and ensure that he keeps his promise.
Jet Airways had started its Ahmedabad-London direct service in year 2007, but stopped same service within two years.
Interestingly, after Air India plane for London leaves Ahmedabad and reaches Mumbai, it comes back through the sky of Ahmedabad to reach London!
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UK AND USA PEOPLE HAVE TO DO MORE AND MORE PRESSURE SO
KATHMANDU—-BURMA—–BHUTAN—-COLOMBO—VIETNAM—SOUTH KOREA
HONG KONG—MACAU—-PHILIPINES—-JAVA—-SUMATRA—-BORNEO
AUSTRALIA—NEW ZEALAND FLIGHT START
BENEFIT——– GENERATED 50% JOB IN GUJARAT
This is politics in perception.They would say anything which can please a common
man and public.They will only do which pleases their side,the party, politicians and some vested interests.They lie.generally, it is their routine to befool the public.If there were problems,the minister should have come straight forward and express the inability.Re: Account 57087803 Public would have ,atleast, relied on his truth.Alas, these liers are not trustworthy.
Ministers of Gujarat..Please please you need to look into this as a real shame for gujarat of not having any direct filghts to London from Ahmedabad…this route is the busiest & more profitable so i cannot understand for not having & active since last couple of years.
wake up gujaratis to get our demand fullfill……….
I have said it before and alos say it again. THERE WILL BE NO DIRECT FILGHTS TO AHMEDABAD. Mr. Praful Patel will be removed from his portfolio before that. Mumbai AND New Delhi have too much to loose from the direct flights as the congress govt sees the Gujaratis as enemies to be milked off their money. It is worth remembering that at one time 40% of people travelling to India were Gujaratis.
AS INDICATED by me in my previous emails. I have always maintained my view that this direct flight from London to Ahmedabad is sweet talk and sound hearing has been proved wrong ! Now where is this Praful Patel disappeared ! As usual these master minds just talk but no action
It is all politics.Guj does not have any weight in the center and as such cong is ruling in the center who does not like Guj.
The announcement by Mr Praful Patel that the flights from London-Ahembdabad would resume in October 2010 was all a political ploy. This is really shameful and Mr Praful Patel is accountable for this and he should either implement what he said or resign.
NCGO speaks for 105 Gujarati organisations who in turn represents tens of thousands of British Gujaratis
Praful patel being a public servant must not forget that the world recognise India as the most admired democratic country.
I urger Praful Patel to listen to what NCGO has to say and act in accordance to the wishes of the public mainly passengers to whom surely he is ultimately accountable to.
ज्यारे आपणू गुजरात विश्व साथे वधारे ने वधारे जोडाई रह्युँ छे, गुजराती प्रजा विशाळ थई रही छे, त्यारे आ प्रफुल भाई ने शु ताव आव्यो के नवा अंतरराष्ट्रिय मथक बांधीने तेने नकाम करवामां तुल्या छे?
This goondaaraaj Kangress does not believe in this simple principle that you can earn more money more revenue more jobs by making life more convenient for travelers, NOT by making their life harder of having the pain to go through another city.
Already the Mumbai airports is completely clogged, there is not enough terminals there to handle the passengers, yet this foolish intent to make more flights go through Mumbai.
There is no denying the fact this minister is purposely trying to create a population bottlenecks by limiting the resources and overcrowding the passengers.
उपाय माटे We need a sensible person like Narendra Modi.
जय श्री राम!
Mr.Prafulbhai Patel allready idicated that the flight beetween Ahmedabad & London starting from octomber10. so Please wait until oct10.However Mr.Prafulbhai Patel never ever ansewr any apeal from large petition from uk & India’s demand so we don’t know what problem and why not response ?
To all GUJARATI, This is the issue and this will not be solved unless GODMOTHER SONIA GANDHI says O.K……. In central govt. they do not want to help GUJARAT OR GUJARATI PEOPLE any which way…… We all have to pressure enough to solve the situation…. WHY GUJARAT congress does not take initiative for solving this dispute…..
This s.gohil and s. patel a. modhvadia bark a lot when other issues are there….
OK SO AIR INDIA IS NOT HAVING ANY DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM AHMEDABAD…GOOD…NOW SINCE WE ARE GUJARATIS AND KNOW WHERE TO HIT WHERE IT HURTS MOST…
…THERE ARE OTHER AIRLINES LIKE EMIRATES WHICH OPERATES TO AHMEDABAD DIRECTLY WITH TWO FLIGHTS A DAY…
I THINK CHANGING FLIGHTS FROM DUBAI WOULD BE CHEAPER AND BETTER THAN MUMBAI…
AND THERE ARE OTHER INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES THAT WE CAN TAKE FROM MUMBAI…
… WE HAVE TO BE SMART CAUSE MOST OF THE BUSINESS GENERATED TO THE INTERNATIONAL SECTOR FROM MUMBAI IS FROM GUJARAT…
SO HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS MOST…WE HAVE ENOUGH OPTIONS…MAYBE OTHER AIRLINES MIGHT START THEIR OPERATIONS FROM AHMEDABAD…
This “direct flights nonsense announcement” was really a false and gutter news for all of us after all. This is by no means a shock but a shameful, disgraceful, humiliating insult to all us Gujratis and Indian loving public. I had my serious doubts from day one and had already mentioned in my previous mail alarming all not to believe Praful Patel, whole heartedly. His intentions are genuinely good but to put this good intention to practice in Gujarat, is a different story. He seriously needs a big support from airport authorities, other airlines, of course from Mr. Modi, and FINALLY from all of us in general. We should show our anger by boycotting Indian operations like Air India until such time it resumes direct flights to Ahmedabad from London. Emirates and Qatar goes via Dubai and Doha and are good experience then via Mumbai for us Gujratis ! Keep the PRESSURE rising !
Dear Friends, It’s with very great sadness I have learned with all of you that this Direct Flight to Ahmedabad from London will not be resumed as planed in October or near future as we know. Our mountains of great Joy and Happiness has suddenly turned into deep sea of sorrow. My eyes like millions of Gujratis are crying out as I feel deeply for our Elders and the young children suffering long journeys via transit travel and all unnecessary hassle. Does anybody know when this service will ever start ! Jay Hind
Trust Air India for anything is beggars belief. They advertise, their flights Numbers AI 130 and AI 131 as direct flights but in fact they go via Mumbai each direction, passengers suffer delays and second security check ! They have managed to fool everyone once but they can’t be, all time lucky as passengers have quickly experienced their bad service in the aircraft and on the ground, etc. Their rude cabin crews are real nightmare to travel with ! And, How did they managed to fool our intelligent Shree Praful Patel, who seriously believed that, this so called direct flight is starting around October and that too by none other then AIR INDIA !
Calm down, just wait and see when time comes near. This direct flight means Mumbai and Delhi can take a breather, so its in everyone’s interest that this finally gets go ahead !
With this horrible, shocking & terrible bad news regarding our much awaited and welcoming direct flight from London to Ahmedabad my heart is broken & shattered with great utter sadness, disbelief, sorrow and my heart cries for our elders and young children, who will continue to suffer unnecessary due to congress politics which regard Gujarat as their enemy within our Bharat Mata framework ! I seriously think that Sonia and their cronies think Gujarat is not part of India as Mr Modi has turned it into real Gold Mine which she hates, stop supporting these people !
Dear Friends, I urge Hon. Shree Pravin Amin the chairman of NCGO to contact once again as matter of urgency to Hon. Shree Praful Patel and please convince him, and strongly press him of the real need to resume this service of direct non stop flight between London and Ahmedabad, immediately. It is with great sadness that we learn this broken effort of so many millions of Gujratis. Hon. Shree Praful Patel’s kind effort, is our only true and last hope for this to ever Happen. Please let us know through this media what is more needed by us in any shape or form to support this cause now or in near future. We have our full faith in Hon. Shree Pravin Amin and sincerely hope this matter is resolved sooner rather than latter. Jay Hind
I REALLY DOUBT IF ANYTHING IS GONNA HAPPEN…THIS MOVE BY AIR INDIA IS BASICALLY TO ENSURE REVENUES FOR T3 – DELHI AND MUMBAI AIRPORTS…
THE GOVT OF INDIA THINKS THAT THERE ARE ONLY TWO CITIES IN INDIA…REST IS A VILLAGE
AND I SEE NO REASON TO WITHDRAW THE AHMEDABAD – FRANKFURT – NEWARK SECTOR WHEN IT HAS 300 PASSENGERS FLYING DAILY…LIKE WHAT NON SENSE IS THIS…
AIR INDIA DOES NOT MIND SPENDING MORE MONEY BY SENDING TWO PLANES ALL THE WAY FROM DELHI / MUMBAI TO AHMEDABAD TO COLLECT PASSENGERS WHEN THE SAME CAN BE DONE WITH ONE BIG PLANE WHICH IS MORE ECONOMICAL…WHAT LOGIC IS THIS ????
THIS IS ONLY A POLITICAL MOVE…NOT A COMMERCIAL ONE…
I AM FLYING EMIRATES / QATAR AIRWAYS FROM NOW ON…ATLEAST THEY HAVE DIRECT MULTIPLE DAILY FLIGHTS FROM AHMEDABAD…
WE SHOULD BOYCOTT AIR INDIA…THATS THE ONLY WAY TO TEACH THEM A LESSON…THEY WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE THEIR FLIGHTS GOING EMPTY…
To teach this double face tactics of Air India, a lasting lesson, just don’t use it to go to Gujarat. Services offered by Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, Emirates and Qatar are all capable to take you at any Air port in Gujarat including Ahmedabad and that too cheaply, and with much better customer treatment. If either Kingfisher or Jet Airways ever start this Direct service to Ahmedabad then believe me, Air India will suffer immensely. We Gujratis don’t like to be nasty but anti Air India message now seems to be our only hope of achieving this direct flight. For few pounds extra for other airlines, just forget Air India . This will be a direct slap on their face, for not creating a direct flight ! Also this airline is playing dirty politics with Gujarat, which is now common knowledge. Jay Bharat-mata.
I would welcome Jet Airways or Kingfisher Direct service to Ahmedabad any time. May god bless us Gujratis after all. We surely can do away with nasty political Air India. God save Shree Modi.
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