London: A diaspora-led advocacy group has launched a new campaign to lobby the airline industry to address a gap in the market for direct flights connecting Scotland with Indian cities.
Indo-Scot Direct was formally flagged off at an event at the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Edinburgh this week, along with an online survey to highlight the far-reaching demand for direct routes between Edinburgh or Glasgow and Delhi or Mumbai. The advocacy group, comprising representatives from leading IT companies, tourism operators, educational institutions and with the support of aviation authorities, believes the lack of such a direct flight connection is a “significant missed opportunity” within the India-UK corridor.
“Direct flights between Scotland and India will significantly enhance our cultural and economic exchanges, bringing our communities closer together. We see immense potential for growth in tourism, trade, and educational collaboration with the establishment of these direct routes," the CGI said in a statement.
Indo-Scot Direct research has found that airlines flying from Scotland to long-haul destinations like Australia or Singapore via Delhi would help make the route more eco-friendly and commercially viable. Additionally, the freight potential on the route is estimated as a market worth over GBP 300 million per year.
“There is a substantial and untapped market waiting for direct flights between Scotland and India. The Indian diaspora in Scotland is growing, and so is the number of students and tourists,” said Puneet Dwivedi, a Scotland-based civil servant and founding member of the advocacy group.
“The demand is unstimulated without direct flights, preventing both regions from reaching their full economic potential. Additionally, the geographical positioning of Delhi as a connecting hub for flights to Australia and Southeast Asia offers significant fuel savings and operational efficiency. The freight potential is also enormous, making this route highly lucrative,” he said.
The launch event in Edinburgh on Wednesday evening attracted aviation and tourism industry stakeholders and representatives from the devolved government of Scotland, who all expressed their support for the initiative.
"India is a real priority market for us. We are working with airlines to incentivise them to come to Scotland. A new direct route can stimulate extra demand, and we are committed to securing a daily route," said Gary Cox, Director for Aviation at Transport Scotland, the transport agency for the region.
“We are very keen for a flight to India. It is the highest demand country without a flight to Scotland, and we are determined to make it happen," said Christopher Tibbett, Aviation Director at AGS Airports which includes Glasgow Airport.
"The prospect of a direct flight route to India is so exciting and achievable. We have substantial data proving the demand, and we are committed to making this vision a reality," added Lynsey Burns, Airline Relationship Manager at Edinburgh Airport.
Visit Scotland also expressed its support, saying direct flights from India would bring “longer-staying and higher-spending visitors” from India, further boosting the region’s tourism industry.
Via its website and online survey, Indo-Scot Direct now aims to gather valuable insights and demonstrate the commercial viability of the route. The group, made up of Indian-origin professionals, is also keen to connect with airlines in India to make presentations on how such flights will prove lucrative given the high demand from Scotland-based diaspora and their family members as well as Indian students and tourists increasingly attracted to the region.