BA signals expansion of services to India following trade deal

British Airways has signalled plans to operate more flights to India to capitalise on stronger trade ties with the country.

BA chief executive Sean Doyle said a trade deal with the UK signed in July would enable the airline to expand it flying network in the country. 

The airline currently runs 56 flights a week to five cities - Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Doyle, writing in The Sunday Times, said: “India is not just another market. It is one of the fastest-growing major economies, the world’s most populous democracy and a tech and innovation hub.”

Doyle is travelling with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer to Bangalore today (Monday) and then on to Mumbai as part of a trade mission to meet Indian dignitaries.

The BA boss said: “We want to be a part of the aviation growth story in India and there are many other cities that could benefit from our presence, given the unique position we hold in offering daily direct services with seamless onward connections across Europe, North America, and beyond.

“The UK-India trading relationship is already worth over £38 billion - and growing. Air connectivity will be a fundamental component of realising that ambition and we are ready to play our part.

“As trade between our two countries grows, so too will our flying network across India.”

He noted: “We’ve tailored our in-flight experience for Indian travellers, from regional cuisine to multilingual cabin crew, and we are enhancing our digital and airport services to make travel smoother than ever.

“Connectivity breeds opportunity - not just for business, but for education, tourism, research, and culture. Every flight we operate strengthens a bond or enables a business deal. And with more than 1.6 million people of Indian origin living in the UK, these connections are deeply personal, too.”