The flag carrier of the United Kingdom, British Airways, could be eyeing up additional services between London and India, following reports from a senior airline executive that this country in particular has ‘incredible potential’.
In a report published by PTI News, BA is looking to expand its current schedule to India to cater to increased demand in point-to-point travel between the two countries. Already, BA serves five Indian gateways, including Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.
More Flights To India
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At the time of writing, British Airways already operates 56 scheduled weekly flights between London and India, with three flights daily to Mumbai Airport, while a single daily service connects Heathrow to Bangalore, Chennai International Airport, and Hyderabad. The capital connection, between London and Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, is currently scheduled twice daily; however, the carrier is rumored to be launching a third, subject to regulatory approvals.
Simple Flying reached out to British Airways for more insight into its services to India; however, the oneworld airline did not respond by the time this article was published. Rene de Groot, the airline’s Chief Operating Officer, did speak with PTI and shared this statement:
“As demand strengthens, we remain focused on expanding our services and elevating the travel experience.”
British Airways Second Largest Market
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After the United States, India remains the airline’s second-largest international market, supporting dedicated crew bases across its five Indian gateways. Local staff support the premium service that the airline is known for for travel to the subcontinent, ensuring that passengers are able to travel with ease. Additionally, the airline maintains a call center in India, employing 2,000 staff.
VFR travel (visiting friends and relatives), along with tourism, education, and economic ties, is a key driver in the popularity of non-stop travel to India, with half a million Indians reportedly visiting the UK each year. A large diaspora, along with the UK-India free trade agreement, is boosting support for the services. Direct competition for British Airways for travel between the UK and India is provided by Virgin Atlantic, Air India, and IndiGo which all provide non-stop services from the country to Heathrow.
Additional services are offered by Air India to London Gatwick and Birmingham, while IndiGo connects Delhi and Mumbai to Manchester. Many other European and Middle Eastern carriers also offer a wide range of one-stop services between the UK and India, with the likes of Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Lufthansa just an example of airlines all fighting for a piece of the market.
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101 Years Of Flights To India
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This November marks 101 years of British Airways connecting the UK to India, fostering over a century of economic, cultural, and diplomatic ties between the two countries. The airline first connected London to New Delhi under Imperial Airways, first taking off in 1924 on a mult-stop journey that took 14 days.
Last year, the airline celebrated its centenary with the airline’s CEO and Chairman hosting a celebratory event at the British High Commissioner’s residence in New Delhi (Lindy Cameron). This celebration included spotlighting the airline’s history with India, including precious memorabilia, photographs, and historical uniforms. Passengers taking flights with BA also got to enjoy the 100-year partnership by additional Indian menus and films offered onboard routes to India, the UK, and North America in October and November last year.
British Airways today operates more non-stop flights to India than any other European carrier, and flights have been shaved from 14 days down to an average of just nine hours gate to gate. Services to the country are operated by a mix of the airline’s fleet of Airbus A350-1000, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Its flights are additionally supported through partnerships with local Indian airlines such as the country’s largest carrier, IndiGo, providing simple one-stop itineraries to destinations across India, all on one ticket.
While the airline continues to dominate travel between the UK and India, the airline does not maintain any BA Club Lounges in the country. Instead, passengers can enter the Encalm Prive Lounge (Delhi), Adani Lounge (Mumbai), 080 BLR International Lounge (Bangalore), Travel Club Lounge (Chennai), and Encalm Lounge (Hyderabad).
