As soon as India was moved from the Red List of the UK to the Amber List, everyone who needed to travel to the UK started to get on a plane. This led to a surge in the pricing because of the far reduced number of flights being offered between India and the United Kingdom since January 2021. However, with a new order, the number of flights permitted between India and the UK have now gone up to 34 per week for Indian carriers and 34 per week for carriers on the other side. However, it took some time for the airlines to announce new schedules.
British Airways
British Airways announced that it would increase flights from 10 to 20 per week from India to the UK starting August 16, 2021. British Airways will now operate 20 direct return flights across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, connecting to London Heathrow.
This would now allow the airline to bring more people over to the United Kingdom and will enable them to take eligible people onwards to the US on American Airlines.
Moran Birger, British Airways’ Head of Sales for South Asia, Middle East and Africa, said:
It is wonderful to see connections between India and London being restored after months of uncertainty caused by the global pandemic. These additional new flights will allow our Indian customers, who have waited so patiently, to reunite with their loved ones. The flights also provide new travel options for Indian students wishing to travel to the UK and beyond for further studies, ahead of the start of a new academic year.
Here is the new schedule, which I could glean out from the website:
- From Delhi, British Airways will operate BA256 all seven days of the week.
- From Mumbai, British Airways will operate BA138 five days a week.
- From Hyderabad, British Airways will operate BA276 three days a week.
- From Bengaluru, British Airways will operate BA118 five days a week.
British Airways is also planning to operate three times a week from Chennai, effective September 1, 2021, by reducing two flights from Delhi and one from some other city.
Air India
On the other hand, Air India is using its allocated quota of 29 flights per week from India to the UK in a slightly different manner. Air India plans to operate 13 weekly flights connecting London with six Indian cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Amritsar, and Kochi from August 16 to September 1, 2021.
On top of that, the airline has announced special flights connecting London with other Indian cities, including Chennai, Kolkata and Goa.
- Air India will operate Kolkata – London on August 22/29, 2021 and London – Kolkata on August 21/28, 2021.
- Air India will operate Chennai – London on August 27/September 1, 2021, and London – Chennai on August 26/31, 2021.
- Air India will operate London – Goa – London on August 26/27, 2021.
Anybody planning a trip out to London should find this information useful.
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As a foreign tourist and India lover, I would be happy to understand the Indian government and the endless ban on international flights. The Indian experience shows that travel bans are completely useless as soon as the virus is already inside the country. It shows also that the virus can mutate without any touristic contact with other countries. To allow vaccinated or tested tourists to enter India would be completely safe. Countries like Mexico never had any travel ban or health measures for incoming tourists and the situation there is not bad at all. Turkey never had any ban on international flights and no test required until december 2020 (after : test only). Citizens of India will be eligible to visit many European countries even for tourism, as European countries’ visa application centres located in India have resumed their work. So why this travel ban to India? And why do they always promise to end the ban at the end of the month and then extend it again and again, like a bad joke? It would be simply honest to explain their agenda. If they want to extend the ban until october, or december, or until 2024, just tell it frankly. It would allow foreigners to organize themselves, especially those who need an ayurvedic treatment, or who simply look forward to finally meet their friends again and visit the wonderful India.
@Gaspard, as long as we can understand this, we will help you to an understanding. It is much like the US, where they are neither answering questions, nor setting out a timeline.
Hi Gaspard,
Glad to know you love our country and would like to be a guest in India again, but please note that we are a sovereign nation and have every right to protect our citizens from new mutants of the virus found in other parts of the world. Why don’t you question the US and other European governments who time and again ban flights from India or certain categories of visas issued to Indian passport holders.
Would appreciate if you could just be a “good guest” and a well wisher rather than a citizen questioning his/her government.
Regards,
Yogesh
Hi Yogesh,
I just try to understand. As I can see now, a person of Indian origin who comes to India from the UK is considered not dangerous, but a vaccinated/tested foreign tourist is considered dangerous because he could introduce a virus of Indian origin. I agree with you : the flight ban of US or European governments is unacceptable and absurd.
Hey Gaspard,
I’m glad that you consider banning Indian travellers by US, UK and Europe absurd as well.
The Government of India is responsible for its citizens and overseas citizens and has to take a calculated risk by quarantining them on arrival from UK or any other country. However Government of India is not responsible for foreigners just like the UK Government was allowing its citizens to come back but not Indians, wouldn’t UK nationals get the same mutated strain which they probably contracted in India.
My understanding is that foreign relations and visas work on principle of reciprocity and each sovereign is free to exercise its options to protect its citizens as best as it can.
Regards,
Yogesh
Are flights from UK to India operating?
Would appreciate answer, it’s really important.
@Fay, yes flights from UK to India are also operating. Although I believe all of them are only from LHR to various points in India.
Hello,
Virgin Atlantic has also announced increase in service to India effective 01Sep21
Daily flight to operate between
LHR-DEL and LHR-BOM using 787-900 Dream(liner aircrafts.
They’ve also mentioned India flights are conveniently timed to enable connectivity to/from their US network on their own metal and JV partner Delta.
But how can they operate so many flights since the tourist visas are still banned?
@Gaspard, there are all sorts of people flying to the UK from India (students, business people and what not), and similarly, on the return, there is enough number of people who want to get visit their families into India.
Hi,
This is great news
Would love to see vistara and spice jet launching flights too.
Are tourist visas open?
@Yash, err, Vistara is already operating with their 787-9 aircraft.