London [UK], October 8 (ANI): British Airways has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding its network in India as the airline supported a major UK government trade mission led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the country, the airline said in an official statement.
British Airways announced plans to expand flights to India during the UK government’s landmark “Britain Means Business” trade mission. The airline will introduce a third daily flight between London Heathrow and Delhi in 2026, subject to regulatory and capacity approvals.
The airline’s popular First cabin will return on flights from London to Mumbai this month, with the latest business class Club Suite to be available on select flights across all five Indian routes by the end of 2026.
According to the statement, British Airways is exploring further growth opportunities in India as trade between the UK and India strengthens. Around 130 top UK CEOs and senior government ministers flew to India on a chartered British Airways flight on Tuesday as part of the trade mission aimed at boosting trade and business ties between the two countries.
The trip to Mumbai follows the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, in July.
Sean Doyle, Chairman and Chief Executive of British Airways, said, “I am delighted to take part in this important trade mission. Our ties with India were established over 100 years ago, and today we have around 2,500 British Airways colleagues based there. We’ve been steadily increasing capacity between the UK and India over the years, and we’re now operating 56 direct services to five Indian cities each week.”
“The Free Trade Agreement with India will boost economic momentum between our two countries, and British Airways sits at the center of that activity, acting as an enabler for increased trade. We will develop our own network alongside increased economic activity, so the FTA is very good news for our business,” Doyle said.
“As the airline that offers the biggest network of any European carrier into the North Atlantic, we also help connect India to the US and beyond. When you add this factor into the mix, there’s a lot to be excited about for our two connected economies,” he added.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “British Airways has been connecting the United Kingdom with India for more than a century—a symbol of the enduring partnership and deep cultural and economic ties between our two nations. As our landmark trade deal paves the way for new opportunities for businesses, our national flag carrier will play a critical role in strengthening trade links with India, boosting UK growth, and helping deliver on our Plan for Change.”
British Airways has been flying to India for over 100 years and is celebrating 20 years of service to Bangalore this month. In addition to the new daily flight between London Heathrow and Delhi, the return of the First cabin on Mumbai routes, and the introduction of Club Suites across Indian routes by 2026, the airline aims to give travelers more choice and flexibility for both business and leisure travel.
British Airways has also introduced a free “Meet and Assist” service for customers requiring additional support when traveling from India to the UK, helping make journeys smoother. The service, available at all five Indian airports the airline operates from, has been used by around 5,500 customers since its launch in March. Staff fluent in local languages such as Hindi, Punjabi, Telugu, and Tamil have received specialized training to provide this service.
The airline continues to invest in enhancing its customer experience as part of a £7 billion transformation plan, which includes over 900 initiatives such as new short-haul seats, free onboard Wi-Fi messaging, and refreshed lounges across its global network, the statement added. (ANI)
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