Air India’s domestic network increased to 63 stations with the commencement of the Delhi-Ludhiana flight from Thursday, May 13, 2010.
The first flight from Delhi to Ludhiana took off from Delhi at 1141 hrs with 46 passengers on board. Several prominent citizens of Punjab including Mr Manish Tiwari, Hon’ble MP-Ludhiana, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal- Dy. Chief Minister, Punjab, Mr Sukhdev Singh Libra (MP), Mr. Bikram Majithia (MP), Dr. Ratan Singh Ajnala (MP), Mr Avinash Rai Khanna (MP) and Mr Naresh Gujral (MP) traveled on board the first flight.
The schedule for the Delhi-Ludhiana flight was finalized with inputs from Mr. Manish Tiwari, Hon’ble Ludhiana MP, so as to provide maximum connectivity to passengers flying in to the industrial hub of Punjab. The flight provides immediate connections to passengers travelling from Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai. In a similar manner passengers flying out from Ludhiana will also be able to get onward flights to almost all the major metros the same day.
The initiative and persuasion for an air link between Delhi and Ludhiana by Mr. Manish Tiwari was also supplemented by the efforts of Govt. of Punjab. This vindicated Air India’s assessment of the business potential of Ludhiana, resulting in the introduction of a daily flight.
The Delhi-Ludhiana flight is being operated by an ATR42-320, 48 seater aircraft on all days of the week leaving Delhi at 1110 hrs and arriving Ludhiana at 1225 hrs. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the flight will operate onward to Pathankot from Ludhiana. On the return journey the flight will leave Ludhiana at 1435 hrs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and arrive at Delhi at 1555 hrs. On other days of the week it will depart from Ludhiana at 1245 hrs and land at Delhi at 1355 hrs.
With Delhi poised to become a major hub for Air India, the flight to Ludhiana will also meet the long felt need of the non-resident Indian community of Punjab.
The initial response to this flight is very encouraging.
