Perth: There had been a long-standing demand to start non-stop flight services between at least one major city in India and Perth and vice versa, says the Indian Society of WA (ISWA), the peak body of Indian Associations, on behalf of the West Australians of Indian heritage. The association has decided to submit a petition to the Western Australian Government in this regard. A signature collection has also started for this purpose.

We hope with the recent trade deal this could become a reality soon. Air India already has non-stop flights to India from Sydney and Melbourne. We know that community would like many Indian cities to be covered but for that to happen it needs to get started from one city and slowly the airlines could add other major destinations. Of course, all this would need to be decided by the airlines but with support and some incentive from the WA government maybe it's possible sooner than later.

It’s estimated that there are about 170,000 people of Indian heritage living in Western Australia who have direct and indirect ties with India. Apart from this many relatives of WA residents and their parents also make regular visits. India is one of the three leading source countries where visitors come to WA according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These passenger numbers are expected to grow fast with new economic and trade agreements signed between India & Australia.

A strong reason for direct flights from Perth to India is the growing relationship between the two countries and the geographical location of Perth. It would take 8.30 hrs for a direct flight from some major cities in India to Perth which is as good as flying from Delhi to London. Flying from Sydney to Delhi takes about 13 hrs and is a long-haul flight which means they need bigger planes to fly and more fuel consumption. We understand Perth can serve as the hub for airlines to service the east coast for domestic and international passengers for better fuel economy and quick turnaround of the aeroplanes as well. Perth Airport and Airlines could also benefit from flying into WA first as a hub, as the aircraft turnaround (in both directions) can happen within 24 hours. It’s less fuel burn, and it’s less aircraft utilisation.

There has been tremendous growth in the Indian-born population living in WA over the years and the number of passengers travelling between India and Perth has been significantly growing year on year. The number of Indian students enrolling in WA Universities and colleges is also increasing and is a point of consideration. A nonstop service would also aid growth in business and trade and leverage the Indian aviation market which is one of the fastest-growing in the world.

With the state government strongly promoting WA tourism and starting direct flights to Jakarta, Paris and Jonesburg recently, having direct flights to India is in direct alignment with its plans. With recent data indicating that the number of passengers travelling from and to India is growing exponentially, there is a strong case for Perth to get a direct flight to India. This is in line with Qantas CEO Alan Joyce saying Australia’s free trade deal with India would massively increase the traffic from India and that they need to have a strong presence. Maybe it can be started on a once-a-week, on a trial basis if the airlines and government so decide.

As per media reports, Perth Airport chief executive Kevin Brown is equally supportive of direct flights from Perth to India as other airports are striking direct flight deals for Indian flights. Mr Brown wants to see direct flights between Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai, arguing that several airlines could fly these routes, including Vistara (a JV between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines), IndiGo, SpiceJet and Jet Airways.

To sign the petition, visit https://chng.it/byxvbRrrdd