More flights to connect Amritsar with Southeast Asia

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 30

Punjabi diaspora and tourists intending to travel from the Southeast Asian countries, including Australia, to Punjab during the fall and winter season will find it easier as Malaysia-based Batik air, erstwhile known as Malindo Air, is all set to commence its non-stop flights between Kuala Lumpur and Amritsar from September 9.

Owing to huge demand for travel from Punjab to Malaysia and Australia, Batik air will connect Amritsar with Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane in Australia and other tourist destinations, including Bali and Bangkok.

According to the schedule on its website, Batik air will operate two flights a week on Friday and Sunday in September, three-weekly in October and increasing to four weekly from November. The flight will take off from Kuala Lumpur in the evening at 6.15 pm arriving Amritsar at 9.40 pm. The same aircraft will then take off at 10.30 pm in the night landing at Kuala Lumpur in the morning at 6.50 am. The airline will deploy its Boeing 737-8 aircraft on this route.

Sameep Singh Gumtala, Global Convener of the FlyAmritsar Initiative, said the resumption of these flights came after low-cost carrier of Singapore Airlines group Scoot resumed its flights between Amritsar and Singapore in February and was currently operating five-weekly flights. Scoot along with its partner Singapore airline also connects Amritsar with many destinations around the world, including Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth), USA (Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles) and Vancouver in Canada.

Gumtala added that “this is a major boost to the international connectivity of Amritsar before the start of winter season when the Indian diaspora visits Punjab”. The winter season would see resumption and addition of new flights after the Covid-19 pandemic.

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