- Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Doyle also mentioned that British Airways is keen on expanding its operations in India, with 56 weekly flights connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
By: India Weekly Staff
BRITISH Airways CEO Sean Doyle on Friday (30) stressed on the importance of negotiating additional flying rights between India and the UK to increase flights between London and Delhi and Mumbai, Moneycontrol reported.
He highlighted at a press conference in Delhi that both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have fully utilised the current air services agreements (ASAs) and called for a more liberal approach to meet the growing demand. He urged policymakers to recognise aviation as a catalyst for expanding trade ties between the two countries.
“ASAs must keep pace with growing demand and should be more liberal,” Doyle said.
Currently, British Airways operates three daily flights to Mumbai and two daily flights to Delhi from London, while Virgin Atlantic operates one daily flight to Mumbai and two daily flights to Delhi. Combined, the two airlines operate 28 weekly flights to each of the cities. Doyle’s call for increased bilateral flying rights echoes similar sentiments expressed by Emirates Airline’s president Sir Tim Clark earlier in the year.
Doyle also mentioned that British Airways is keen on expanding its operations in India, with 56 weekly flights connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. He noted the significance of the airline’s network for Indian travelers, particularly its connections to the US, where it serves 31 cities, and its extensive network in Canada. Doyle acknowledged the strong connecting traffic in the Indian market and cited the growing Indian diaspora in the US as a factor driving increased travel demand.
While highlighting the importance of partnerships, Doyle emphasised the airline’s focus on building its own proposition for India. British Airways recently opened its new call center, ‘CallBA,’ in Gurugram, to enhance customer experience globally. The call center employs 1,400 staff who provide support to customers across different regions. The airline has more than 2,000 employees in India and a global workforce of over 35,000.
In addition, British Airways has partnered with IndusInd Bank and joint business partner Qatar Airways to offer a multi-branded airline credit card. Cardholders will have the opportunity to collect Avios and access benefits such as fast-track services, meet-and-greet assistance and concierge services.
Indian customers traveling between Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru can experience British Airways’ newly designed Club Suite cabin in business class, featuring direct aisle access, suite doors for enhanced privacy and luxurious flat-bed seats in a 1-2-1 configuration.
