India doubles frequency on India-UK route to 30 flights per week

Move follows public outcry over the significant rise in airfares on the route

India has agreed to double the weekly quota of flights from 15 to 30 flights, after a public outcry over high fares on India-UK routes from 16 August.

While 26 flights have been granted to Air India, Vistara has been allowed to operate four.

Average economy-class fares on international flights operating on key routes connecting India have risen significantly, with one way economy fare costing over Rs one lakh.

Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

However, limited special international passenger flights have been operating since July 2020 under air bubble arrangements formed with 28 countries, including the UK.

The UK government placed India under its Red list barring Indians from travelling to that country in the wake of the second Covid-19 wave in India. Now that India has been moved to the Amber list, there has been a sudden spurt in travel demand.

While Air India and Vistara operate flights from the Indian side, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are the UK carriers that fly to Delhi and Mumbai.

Air India will operate 13 weekly flights connecting London with six Indian cities—Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Amritsar, and Kochi from 16 August to 1 September 2021.

"Fly non-stop from India to London with Air India. Thirteen weekly flights to/from six Indian cities. Before you plan your travel please click on to airindia.in/international travel to know more about travel guidelines to/from the UK," Air India said in a tweet.

India-UK is one of the most popular international routes, having a total of 33 weekly frequencies in 2019. The frequency reduced considerably after the grounding of Jet Airways.

With government capping capacity, average economy-class fares on international flights operating on key routes connecting India have risen significantly during the last one month due to high demand.

Airfare on Delhi in India to Newark in the US rose from Rs 69,034 in July to Rs 87,542 in August.

An average economy class ticket on Mumbai-Moscow flight and Mumbai-Doha flight was priced at Rs 43,132 and Rs 11,719, respectively, this July, according to data. This increased to Rs 85,024 and Rs 18,384, respectively, by August.