PETITION: Direct Flights to Gujarat

After successfully concluding a new trade deal with India we need to make it easier to get to India’s fastest growing states such as Gujarat.

Here in the UK, we are fortunate enough to have a widespread Gujarati diaspora who have made significant contributions to our country, its economy, and culture. In London alone, there are around 300,000-400,000
Gujaratis who call our capital their home, and many live in the local area.

Despite this, there is just one direct flight from to London (Gatwick) to Gujarat, and although the country’s largest airport is on our doorstep, there are no direct flights from Heathrow to Gujarat. This means that travellers, whether families, businesspeople or students
must make lengthy journeys ranging from 16-21 hours, often with several layovers.

With a growing Gujarati and wider Indian diaspora, there is increasing demand for direct flights from London; including from Heathrow to Gujarat’s four international airports Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, and Vadodara.

Establishing direct flights would:

• Reinforce and strengthen our cultural and economic links between the UK and India.
• Increase trade opportunities and further tourism for both Britain and Gujarat
• Enhance connectivity for thousands of British-Gujarati families and reduce travel hardship for elderly and vulnerable passengers.
  Reduce the environmental impact of multiple connecting flights by allowing for more efficient travel.

We therefore urge the UK Government, the Department for Transport, and the Civil Aviation Authority to work collaboratively with British airlines and London airports to explore and secure viable direct flight options to Gujarat’s four major international airports.