Category: Travel News

Stepwells are wide water wells with descending steps that lead to the bottom where water is present. India, particularly the northwestern part, hosts some of the most prolific step-wells and Baolis or Bawris, as the locals call them. They are remnants of ancient and medieval India and has survived hundred and thousands of year and awaiting your presence through flights to India from Canada. Baolis can be traced back to the Indus valley civilization. The prominent civilization that once flourished in the northwestern part of the country.

The Baolis are not mere structures for archaeological prominence but served the practical purpose of holding water or acting as a water reservoir in times of need during the ancient period.

The steps make it easy to descend and ascend the walls for fetching the water. The archaeological evidence does demonstrate that thousands of Baolis existed in the ancient past, but the fury of the time has eradicated most of them. Some 2000 Baolis still remain that have stood the test of time. Though there not in use but still retains water and are pieces of architectural beauty. Lakhs of visitors throng the place for the beauty they behold and you too should not miss out on the opportunity by catching your flights to India from Canada at the earliest.

Here is curated a list of the Majestic Step Wells of India that you should visit this holiday season

Rani ki Vav in Gujarat

Rani ki Vav is the most famous of the Baolis in India as it has got UNESCO world heritage site status. The famous Baoli is located near the Saraswati river in Patan in Gujarat. The Chalukyas kings constructed it in the 11th century. The Baoli prominently features the maru-gurjara style of architecture. People in ancient times used the Baoli as a place of worship, as the number of images of avatars of Vishnu on the walls surrounding the steps of the Baoli demonstrates. The Rani ka Vav Baoli has seven steps, and artisans adorned each one with beautiful carvings on the walls. The gigantic structure and the handiwork of great architectural style are a treat to behold and demand a visit at least once through your last minute flights to India.

Agrasen ki Baoli in Delhi

This is the most famous Baoli of Delhi near Connaught place. The Baoli has nearly 108 steps and three terraced levels that will take one into the well. The architectural style indicates that the Lodhi dynasty constructed it, but legends assert that the great Hindu king Raja Agrasen likely built it in the 8th century AD. The archaeological survey of India maintains the Baoli well. The time spent at the Baoli is quite revealing and leaves the visitor with memories for the life to come.

Chand Baoli in Rajasthan

This Baoli attracts thousands of tourists and visitors every year. It is the most splendid of the Baolis in India. It is located in Abhaneri village in Rajasthan. King Chanda of the Nikumbh Dynasty built the Baoli in the 9th century AD. The Baoli is massive, boasting around 3500 steps, and it houses a well at the bottom, reaching a depth of approximately 20 meters. It stands as the deepest Baoli in the country. The Baoli is a dedication to the goddess of joy and happiness, serving the purpose of water provision in the water-scarce region. This Baoli has a total of 13 floors of step-wells and looks amazing even from a distance. The place is also a hands-on choice for photographers. For a memorable and luxury-rich trip to Baolis of Rajasthan check business class deals from Flyopedia at the earliest.

Pushkarani in Karnataka

This beautiful Baoli is in the district of Hampi of Karnataka. The Baoli is situated next to a series of temples. The antiquity of the Baoli dates back to the Vijaynagara times and it was used as a palace of worship by the local people of Hampi. The Baoli used to host fests back in time with boats floating in the water tanks. The most beautiful of the step-wells is located in the royal enclosure in the Rama Hazara temple.

Dada Harir step wells in Gujarat

This majestic Baoli was built in 1499 AD. it is the most beautiful of all the Baolis in India. The iconic thing about the Baoli is that it is a shade cooler when inside the Baoli that’s why it used to serve as the retreating place for the sultans in medieval times. The Baoli is in Ahmedabad and bears a Solanki architectural style. The Baoli is five stories deep. It is octagonal in shape and there are a lot of inscriptions on the walls of the Baoli. The time spent here is quite rejuvenating. Book the surreal experience now by catching your flights to India from Canada at the earliest.

Toor ji ki Jhalra in Rajasthan

This Baoli is located in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Toor ki Jhalra Baoli is still active and serves as a water source for the locals. Constructed using red sandstone, this Baoli dates back to the 17th century AD in antiquity. It features engravings of various motifs of animals and deities. It is one of the finest step-wells in the country. A stroll around the Baoli refreshes the mood and contemplating life sitting on the stairs is the best thing you can do when around the Baoli.

So this was Flyopedia’s effort to bring to your ears the lesser-known wonders of India. Almost all of these Baolis are built in the medieval period and through light on the prevalent architectural style of the given period.

Near to about 950,000 people in Canada are Punjabis. This means roughly accounts for nearly 2.4 percent of the total population as per the report of the 2021 census. Much of the Punjabi populace in Canada has ties to family, friends, and businesses in Punjab. India accounts for Canada’s fourth-largest international airport market. Thus running flights to India from Canada is a hugely profitable venture and thousands of Punjabis travel to the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Hence, a need is felt for a direct flight between Canadian cities and Amritsar to cater to this large populace. Currently, there are no direct flights between Amritsar and Canada.

Call for a Direct Flight to Amritsar From Canada

Given the importance and dominance of Sikhs and Punjabis in Canada, Conservative MPs have made a call to the country’s flag carrier Air Canada to make ways for direct flights between Canada and Punjab which will also give a major boost to flights to India from Canada.

MPs Tim Uppal, Bradley vis, Jasraj Singh, and Mark Strahl urged Air Canada for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar to bolster tourism and empower families to stay connected. Canadian MPs represent many diverse communities, and they have written a letter to highlight the significant economic and social value of establishing direct flights between Canada and the state of Punjab.

Some reports estimate that as many as five lakh passengers travel annually from India to Toronto alone, the majority of them being Punjabis. The letter categorically stated that direct flights symbiotically bolster tourism and trade and empower families to stay connected.

Currently, there are no direct flights between Canada and Amritsar. That means travelers are required to make multiple stops en route making the journey lengthy and cumbersome. India and Canada have recently announced an open free skies agreement and air transport deal allowing both airlines to operate an unlimited number of flights between the two countries. The agreement gives Canadian airlines access to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, and Bengaluru. Please note that Amritsar has been absent from the list despite demand from passengers from both sides.

Citizen Petition for Direct Flights

Over 14,000 Canadian citizens and permanent residents have signed and joined the official parliamentary petition. That demands the commencement of direct flights to Punjab from Canada. The Covid-19 pandemic also emphasized the significant demand for flights from Amritsar to Canada. During the initial pandemic lockdowns, 30,000 Canadians found themselves stranded in India. Then, border closure and flight cancellations forced the Canadian government to instate 37 repatriation last minute flights. Many of them directly out of Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport to Pearson International Airport in Toronto.

The pandemic has shown there exists a high demand for direct flights from Amritsar to Canada. Moreover, the route will be equally feasible and profitable for the airlines as well, the letter noted.

MP Hallan, one of the signatories of the letter wrote on Twitter that so many of his constituents and Canadians have been asking their office for flights like these for years. This will help senior citizens, those most in need, and parents of small children with access to direct flights.

Needfully, the Canadian transport minister Omar Alghabra has raised the concern with his Indian counterpart. Back in India, MP Vikramjit Singh Sawhney has written a letter to the Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. In which he pleaded with him to commence direct flights from Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal to Amritsar and Mohali airports.

Frequent flyers are finally delighted as the two leading airlines, Air Canada and Emirates, announced their codeshare partnership in November 2022. A codeshare agreement is a common marketing arrangement in the aviation sector where 2 or more airlines sign an agreement that allows them to sell seats of each other’s flights- all categories of flight tickets like business class tickets, economy and so on. The idea behind this is to increase the market potential of airlines and offer more flight options to the existing customer base, allowing them to book more last minute flights to any destination they prefer to fly to.

The agreement between Air Canada and Emirates will enable both airlines to expand their connectivity by connecting to 46 more markets on 3 continents. Starting on 1st December 2022, the sale of business class tickets and all the others will be available in 35 markets. 11 more markets will be added later on after receiving final approval. Customers can go ahead to purchase the tickets from websites and other travel agencies.

The main thing to note here is that both the leading airlines will give access to 46 destinations around the world, specifically in Asia, the Middle East, North America, and the African continent. Regular customers who take Emirates flights can book codeshare flights to and from Canadian locations beyond Toronto like Vancouver, Ottawa, Edmonton, Halifax, and Calgary. Similarly, customers of Air Canada will now be able to sell flight tickets operated by Emirates from its main hub in Dubai, which will further extend to other top locations in the Indian subcontinent like Colombo, and Dhaka and Southeast Asian regions of Phuket, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur.

In the next 6 months, the airlines will also work to improve connectivity between the hub airports of Toronto and Dubai, to enhance the customer experience of both airlines. Both airlines are also committed to providing single-ticket and baggage transfers to the final destination, streamlining customers’ flight experience.

Furthermore, Sir Tim Clark, the President of Emirates Airlines stated that his team is happy to connect with Air Canada which will enhance their reach in North American points and will add much value to the flight experience of both leisure and business travelers.

About Air Canada: Air Canada is Canada’s biggest airline and schedules services to Canada and around 69 internationally. The airline is dedicated to net zero emissions from all its international operations by 2050.

About Emirates:

With its global hub in Dubai, Emirates flies internationally to around 6 continents. The Emirates airline upholds international standards on the ground and while flying with a passionate workforce from around 160 countries. The star performer also handles the largest fleet of Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft. The company is also dedicated to reducing its emissions and safeguarding wildlife and habitats.

The ever-expansive aviation sector immensely benefits both the flyers and airlines by broadening the choices of flights for a customer who wants to use flights for both business and leisure purposes.

The air connectivity between Canada to India flights vice versa, is poised to receive an unprecedented boost as the two countries now permit designated carriers from each side to operate ‘an infinite number of flights between the two nations.’

Under this agreement, Canadian airlines can operate flights to Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai with last minute flights services, Similarly, Indian airlines can fly to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be determined by India. Codeshares facilitate service to other cities in both countries indirectly.

Air India and Air Canada operate direct Canada to India flights & vice versa between the two countries.

Canada and India have agreed to an enhanced air transportation agreement that would allow approved airlines to fly between the two nations on an unlimited number of occasions.

• What is the Open Skies agreement?

An open skies agreement (also spelled open skies) is a treaty between two countries that allows for unrestricted air travel between them. Although the term “open skies” had been in use for some time, it only became widely known in March 2007, when the European Union and the United States signed a transatlantic open skies agreement that allowed any American or European airline to operate services to and from any European or American location.

According to Transport Canada, the first air transportation agreement between Canada and India was signed in 1982 and was most recently expanded in 2011. The new agreement was guided by Transport Canada’s Blue Sky Policy, which aims to encourage long-term and sustainable competition through air transportation agreement negotiations between flights to Canada and India.

• What’s new about it

Prior to this agreement, designated carriers in India, as well as designated airlines in Canada, were permitted to operate 35 weekly flights with last minute flights facility. According to the official website of the Canadian government, India is the country’s fourth-largest international air transport market. “Canada signed its first air transport agreement with India in 1982, and it was last expanded in 2011… Through code-share services, other cities in both countries can be served indirectly. “All rights for all cargo services are already unrestricted,” according to the website.

This important change would enable Canadian and Indian airlines to offer Canada to India flights and vice versa to better meet the demands of the Canada-India air transport business. Both nations’ representatives will keep in touch in the future to consider the agreement’s expansion. “The additional rights under the extended agreement are now accessible to airlines,” it says.

• A wonderful initiative by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau

“Today, we are publicizing an agreement between Canada and India that will allow an unlimited number of flights between our two countries… it will boost trade and investment between Canada and India,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Bali ahead of the G20 summit.

“We are glad to deepen this connection by providing further freedom for airlines to serve this developing market,” said Canada’s transportation minister, Omar Alghabra. “By enabling the movement of products and people faster and simpler, this enlarged agreement will continue to encourage trade and investment between Canada and India, assisting our businesses to develop and flourish.”

Air Canada has introduced a new Toronto to Mumbai flight which will be a fifth freedom flight with a layover at London’s Heathrow airport. A fifth freedom flight is that flight that flies from a base in another country than the home country. The flight marks its return to the airport pairs after about 31 years. The flight was operated last nearly 30 years ago as part of Air Canada’s longer routing. The flight runs daily and is a part of a broader flights to India from Canada group.

The launch of the flight with a layover in London comes as Air Canada is keen to grow and explore the Indian market. The flight was initially designed as a direct Toronto to London route without a stop, with the aim of targeting Canada’s largest unserved Indian market. However, circumstances did not permit this due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which resulted in airlines having to avoid the Russian-Ukrainian airspace. It is currently unclear whether the layover in London will be a temporary or permanent arrangement.

On October 30, Air Canada initiated a flight from Toronto to Mumbai, which involves a ground time of 2 hours and 40 minutes in the UK. The scheduled travel time for flights from Toronto to Mumbai is approximately 18 hours and 25 minutes going and 20 hours and 40 minutes returning. Air Canada believes the option is not the quickest one but definitely competitive. Advantageously, it has fifth freedom traffic rights between London and Mumbai.

The flight schedule is as follows

• Toronto to London: AC 856, 7 hours block time
• London to Mumbai: AC 856, 8 hours and 45 minutes
• Mumbai to London: AC 855, 10 hours and 5 minutes
• London to Toronto: AC 855, 7 hours and 55 minutes

Air canada has reserved a 298 seater 787-9s primary widebody aircraft for the 13000 km route of flights to India from Canada. There are about 247 seats in regular economy and 21 recliner seats in premium economy and if business class deals interest you then for your information it has 30 fully flat seats in signature class.

The booking data shows 134000 roundtrip passengers on the Mumbai-Toronto route in 2019 and Air Canada’s motive is to tap into this unserved and underserved market through its one layover new flight. It was small in comparison to the Toronto-Delhi route, which had over 482,000 roundtrip passengers. In the case of London to Mumbai, there were a total of 529,000 passengers who strongly favored the non-stop service. Therefore, Air Canada made the strategic decision to introduce a layover at Heathrow airport in London. Heathrow is not only London’s busiest airport but also Mumbai’s largest P2P international market by passengers, second only to Dubai.

There are now over 7 flights to India from Canada run by the carrier Air Canada.