by Jim Byers
Last updated: 11:14 AM ET, Sun September 29, 2019
Canadians have another direct option for flights to one of the world's most amazing and historic destinations.
After a roughly seven-year absence, Air India last Friday re-instituted direct flights between Toronto Pearson and Delhi. Direct flights will operate three days a week for now, but officials are hoping to quickly ratchet that up to daily service.
The incoming flight was greeted by the traditional fire truck spraying ceremony, after which a wildly colourful performance took place inside Terminal One, with whirling, spinning dancers and thumping music, followed by speeches and servings of coffee, chai, juice, samosas, dosas and North American-style pastries. There was also a ribbon-cutting and a special Air India cake.
Scott Collier, Vice President Customer and Terminal Service at Pearson, said it was "fantastic" to see Air India pull up at the gate after a long absence from an airport he called "one of the world's most important mega-hubs."
Air India's return means more choice for consumers and more connectivity for Pearson customers, he said.
"It's good for Toronto, it's good for Southern Ontario, it's good for Canada," he told India aviation and Air India officials who had flown in from Delhi for the ceremony. "Welcome back, and thank you."
Air Canada flies to Delhi from Toronto and Vancouver, but this marks Air India's only Canadian flight.
"Just seeing the Air India symbol fills me with great pride," said Vikas Swarup, the High Commissioner of India to Canada.
Swarup noted there are 1.6 million people of Indian descent living in Canada, not to mention thousands of students.
India's Minister for Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri, told the Pearson gathering that aviation in India is growing 17% a year and that his country is the third largest aviation market in the world. Delhi's main airport recently cracked the 70 million annual passenger mark, he said.
Puri noted that Air India flies to 40 destinations around the world and to 80 places in India.
"Air India is a first-rate airline with very talented manpower and a safety record that's second to none," he said.
Nonetheless, Puri said the Indian government is continuing with its plan to privatize Air India, reasoning that private interests with aviation experience know more about running an airline than the government.
The Toronto-Delhi flights will operate Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for now. The outgoing flight Air India 188, departs Toronto at 12:15 p.m. and lands in India about the same the next day. The flight from India departs around 3 a.m. Delhi time and arrives in Toronto at 8:45 a.m.
The flights are being operated on Boeing 777-300ER planes with a mix of first-class, business and economy seats and a capacity of 342 passengers.
Air India is a Star Alliance member.
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