Houston’s Indo-American community wants more passenger and cargo air service to India. With one of the largest Indo-American populations in the state of Texas, this community is banking on the fruition of two year negotiations between the city of Houston and India’s airline community to bring direct single-plane or nonstop air service to the region. Direct single-plane service would in all likelihood include a stop in Europe but would allow passengers and cargo to fly all the way to India without changing aircraft. Texas has the fourth-largest Asian population in the United States and is currently the largest state without this type of air service to India.  This, however, is not because there is not a market for it. For two years now the Houston Airport System, the Greater Houston Partnership and the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, have been working to get a direct single-plane or nonstop air link between India and the fourth-largest city in the United States.

Indo-American residents of Houston, like Kiran Verma, are excited about the potential of new air service.

The problem has been that after 9/11 the aviation industry has not been the same. With the impact of 9/11, SARS, and conflicts in the Middle East, airlines experienced long periods of reduced leisure and business travel traffic. These factors and fuel prices have significantly affected the development of new air service across the industry over the past five years.

With market conditions improving, many are hopeful that new air services and destinations will soon be coming to an airport near them.

In Houston’s Harwin district, where the sari and dhoti are the attire of choice and curries and chutneys are available at almost every corner, the sentiment is that a direct air link to India would do the city good

“With about 120,000 Indo-Americans working here I think it’s a good deal if they (an Indian carrier) come,” said Dr. Randhir Sinha, a neurosurgeon from Clear Lake who is the past president of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston. “It will probably improve the economy of the city, a lot of goods will be transported and exported – it’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, India is Houston’s top trading partner in the Central and South Asia region by air cargo weight and value. Trade between both regions was valued at more than $917 million in 2005. Exports by weight to India accounted for almost 54% of the total trade with the country.

With all this going for Houston, Dr. Sinha says the city is ready for direct single-plane air service to India. Currently, Continental Airlines offers air service to India via their New Jersey hub, while Air France and KLM Airlines offer connections to that country from Europe. 

“It’s a big business opportunity for India as well – Houston has NASA, a port, a big medical center, information technology businesses, and energy,” said Dr. Sinha.

According to the recent U.S. News and World report survey, M.D. Anderson ranked as one of the top two hospitals in cancer care, fifth in gynecology, and eleventh in both otolaryngology and urology.

The possibility of soon having a direct single-plane or nonstop flight to their homeland has made several local business owners very excited. Kiran Verma, who owns and operates one of Houston’s most prized gourmet-style Indian restaurants, Kiran’s, believes such a service would allow her business to grow exponentially.

“I do see myself catering to (an airline with service to India)…I see big business,” she said.

Indian travel agencies, meanwhile, are positive that having more air service to India will bring more revenue and passenger traffic to Houston. Fatima Razvi, account executive for Capricorn Travel, believes many tourists and natives that want to travel to and from India aren’t doing so now because of the lack of single-plane air service.

She remembers what her mother went through on a recent trip to India.

“My mother had to pull out her luggage, put it in a trolley, go to the other terminal and re-check it again – that’s a hassle,” she said. “That is why people would prefer to have (direct single-plane service or a nonstop flight) from Houston.”

Deepak Doshi, a recent business graduate of the University of Houston, on the other hand, says that besides the big business opportunities Houston and India can offer each other, the joint venture would unite the Indian community of Houston to their homeland.

“The University of Houston, being such a diverse campus, many students will be able to travel to their homeland easier during holiday breaks,” said Doshi. “Plus, we also have many students who study abroad.”

Several carriers have expressed interest in starting direct single-plane air service between these two destinations, but to-date none have announced the addition of this route. For Houston’s Indo-American community, waiting much longer for this to happen is not an option.

They’re certain the first airline to take the plunge will be smiling all the way to the bank.

Copyright © 2006 - Houston Airport System