A new competition is heating up in the air travel market between India and the UK, with British Airways and Air India planning to add more flights to meet the growing demand.
London is a key destination for airlines flying to India, as it has a large Indian community and is a popular spot for business and tourism among Indians.
British Airways currently operates 56 daily flights from Heathrow to cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad. Starting in April next year, the airline will add a new daily flight from Delhi to Heathrow, bringing its total to 63 flights per week.
“India is our second biggest market, and it’s very important for us due to trade and the Indian community,” said Sean Doyle, CEO of British Airways, during an event celebrating the airline’s 100 years of service to India.
Air India, which is owned by Tata Group, is also expanding its services by increasing flights from Bengaluru, Goa, and Ahmedabad to London. The airline will boost its Amritsar to Birmingham route from three to four flights a week.
Currently, Air India operates 31 weekly flights to Heathrow, but it also flies to Gatwick Airport from other Indian cities due to limited slots at Heathrow.
London Heathrow is the main airport for flights between India and Europe, accounting for over 30% of seats on this route. To deal with slot shortages, Air India is leasing 12 slots per week at Heathrow from Scandinavian Airlines.
In May, India and the UK updated their air services agreement, allowing airlines from both countries to increase their flights from 56 to 70 weekly from Heathrow to Delhi and Mumbai. This change was necessary because airlines like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic had reached their maximum seat capacity, limiting their ability to add new flights.
Doyle emphasized the need for an “open sky” agreement without limits on flights between India and the UK, considering the strong demand on this route.
India has become Virgin Atlantic’s third-largest market after North America and the Caribbean. The airline recently added a second daily flight from Mumbai and launched a new route from Heathrow to Bengaluru in March.
British Airways’ Chief Customer Experience Officer, Calum Laming, noted that many passengers from India connect to flights to the US and Canada. The airline schedules its flights to minimize waiting times for these connecting passengers.
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