A 20,000-signature petition demanding direct flights be reinstated between Birmingham and Delhi is set to be presented to aviation bosses in India.

The petition is being delivered to the Indian Government’s Minister for Civil Aviation to show the extent of demand in the Midlands.

There have been no direct flights since October 2008 when Air India stopped flying though the second city.

The airline moved its Delhi-Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto route to travel through London to secure its slots at Heathrow.

Birmingham Airport Chief executive Paul Kehoe and Birmingham Council leader Mike Whitby have launched the “Fly India” campaign to bring flights back to the city.

They are asking the region’s business and Asian communities to support plans to reinstate direct non-stop services.

Councillor Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham City Council and organiser of the initial petition, said the response to the petition had been “tremendous” and it was now being delivered to India.

“Nevertheless, I am now working with the Airport to give the Fly India campaign another push and gain even more support so that we can demonstrate, with little doubt, the overwhelming demand for direct flights between Birmingham and India,” he added.