Ludhiana: Following repeated demands for a change in the timing of the afternoon flight between Halwara and Delhi, the private airline operating the service has rescheduled it from Sept 10, with the flight now departing Halwara at 4:05pm.While residents have welcomed the move, many want the flight to operate later in the evening for greater convenience.Airport director Jagir Singh confirmed that the revised schedule would come into effect on Sept 10 and remain valid until Oct 24, after which the winter schedule will take effect.Under the revised schedule, the second flight will depart Delhi at 2:25pm and arrive at Halwara at 3:35pm. It will leave Halwara for Delhi at 4:05pm, reaching Delhi at 5:15pm. At present, the flight arrives at Halwara at 2:10pm and departs at 2:40pm.Sources said the timing of the second flight could be revised again when the winter schedule comes into effect.The timing of the first, morning flight will remain unchanged under the summer schedule. It will arrive at Halwara at 7:05am and depart for Delhi at 7:55am.Officials in the civil administration said they had asked airport authorities to explore the possibility of delaying the second flight further. A senior official said the airport director had also been asked to examine whether the restricted operating hours at Halwara airport could be extended to facilitate a later departure.“This is the demand of the industry,” the official said.Industrialists in the city have welcomed the rescheduling. Upkar Singh Ahuja, president of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU), said the organisation had written to the airline seeking a change in the afternoon flight’s timing.“With the revised timing, customers can come to the city for business and return to Delhi at around 4pm. People travelling to Delhi can also return on the second flight in the afternoon,” he said.Ahuja added that the CICU was also seeking a change in the morning flight’s timing, saying it should ideally reach Ludhiana around 8am or 9am.City resident Narinder Singh welcomed the change, saying it would be useful for passengers connecting to international flights that depart Delhi late in the evening or at night.Box: The Itinerary–Afternoon flight rescheduled: Halwara-Delhi flight will now depart at 4:05pm from September 10.–Return reaches Delhi at 5:15pm: The revised flight will arrive in Delhi at 5:15pmMorning flight unchanged: First flight will continue to arrive at Halwara at 7:05am and depart at 7:55amIndustry wants more: Ludhiana industrialists are seeking a further delay in the afternoon flight and an evening serviceWinter schedule may bring another change: The timings could be revised again after Oct 24The CICU president said the organisation also wanted the airline to introduce an evening flightBox: Why industry wanted change–More convenient for business travellers: The earlier afternoon schedule left limited time for Delhi-based clients to conduct business in Ludhiana and return the same day–Better connectivity: A later return flight allows passengers travelling to Delhi to connect more easily with international flights departing late in the evening or at night–More working hours: Industry representatives want the morning flight to reach Ludhiana around 8am-9am, allowing business visitors to start their day at a more practical hour–Demand for evening service: Industrialists say an evening flight would offer greater flexibility to passengers and strengthen air connectivity for Ludhiana’s business community
