Qatar Airways Increases Doha–Toronto Operations To Daily; Punjab And The Punjabi Diaspora Now Have More Flight Options To Canada With One Stop
The development is expected to bring greater convenience and flexibility for travelers from Toronto.
Qatar Airways Increases Doha–Toronto Operations To Daily; Punjab And The Punjabi Diaspora Now Have More Flight Options To Canada With One Stop: Passengers from Punjab and the Punjabi diaspora now have more flight options to Canada, as Qatar Airways has increased its Doha–Toronto operations to daily, effective October 26, further enhancing one-stop connectivity from Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar, according to a press release by Fly Amritsar Initiative.
Sameep Singh Gumtala, Global Convener of the FlyAmritsar Initiative, and Anantdeep Singh Dhillon, Convener (North America), cited in the press release, stated in a joint press statement that the expanded schedule marks an important step for travelers flying between Punjab and Canada, especially following the suspension of Neos Air’s Amritsar–Toronto service via Milan earlier this month.
Passengers traveling from Amritsar will now enjoy daily one-stop connections to Toronto via Doha, while continuing to access Montreal and over 100 global destinations through Qatar Airways’ extensive international network, they noted.
The airline, which launched its Doha–Toronto route with three weekly flights in December 2024 and increased to five in June 2025, has now made it a daily service—a clear sign of sustained demand, they added.
The development is expected to bring greater convenience and flexibility for travelers from Toronto.
“Qatar Airways’ daily Amritsar–Doha flights already connect Punjabis to North America, Europe, and Australia with world-class service and reliability. The expansion of daily Doha–Toronto flights now gives passengers more choices, especially during peak winter travel periods, while avoiding the congestion, long queues, and baggage recheck hassles often faced at Delhi Airport,” Gumtala is quoted as saying in the report.
Highlighting the wider connectivity challenges, Gumtala added, “While airlines like Qatar Airways are ready to expand connectivity through Amritsar, Indian long-haul carriers such as Air India and IndiGo have yet to start direct flights from Amritsar to key international destinations with large Punjabi populations like Toronto, Vancouver, Milan, and Rome. The Government of India must adopt a more open and regionally balanced aviation policy to support Amritsar and Punjab.”
The press release added that Dhillon explained that despite strong passenger demand, Qatar Airways continues to face capacity restrictions under the India–Qatar bilateral air services agreement, which allows the carrier to transport only around 1,259 passengers each way per week from Amritsar. “The consistently full flights and high demand often drive up fares and clearly show the need for more capacity and liberalized policies,” he said.
Dhillon further emphasized the need for more liberal policies, according to the press release. “Amritsar is Punjab’s only major international gateway, and the demand for global connectivity continues to rise. Yet, airlines such as Emirates, Etihad from the UAE, and other Middle Eastern countries remain restricted from operating from Amritsar due to India’s current policy barriers. Opening Amritsar to these carriers would expand travel options, boost tourism and trade, and strengthen Punjab’s ties with the global diaspora.”
Fly Amritsar Initiative is a civil society advocacy for development &direct flights from Amritsar International Airport.
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