UK-India flights increase

The number of flights between the UK and India is set to increase following talks between the UK and Indian governments.

British Airways has already announced plans to put on extra flights to India from October, with Virgin Atlantic and bmi signalling their intention to follow suit.

The UK and Indian governments signed a new air services agreement on April 13, only a few months after BA, Virgin and bmi announced additional services to India following an earlier agreement.

From October 2005, BA plans to double flights between London Heathrow and Mumbai from one to two per day, increase services between Heathrow and Bangalore from three to five per week, and increase services between Heathrow and Chennai from two to six per week.

Virgin Atlantic wants the rights to fly daily to Mumbai from winter 2005, and to fly at least seven services a week to other destinations in India.

Virgin Atlantic chairman Sir Richard Branson said: "Virgin Atlantic has long wanted to expand its services to India and launched services to Mumbai last month as a result of the last bilateral talks. This new deal gives us the opportunity to expand our services to Mumbai further and begin operations to other destinations in India."

bmi is looking into how it can capitalise on the new opportunities. "An increase of our four-times weekly service to Mumbai to a daily service will certainly be a priority," said chief executive Nigel Turner.

British Airways is also looking ahead to March 2006 when it plans to double flights between Heathrow and Delhi to two per day, fly five times a week to Bangalore, and fly daily to Chennai.

Robert Boyle, British Airways' director of commercial planning, said: "The liberalisation of air services between the UK and India is great news for consumers as previous restrictions have prevented us from increasing flights between the two countries."

BA also confirmed that its five flights per week service to Shanghai, China, will start at the beginning of June.