UK - India market benefits from symbiotic relationship.

The UK – India sector handled approximately one million travellers up until 2004. However, due to the services agreement between the two countries suitable for both British Airways as well as Air India, the capacity was severely restricted. New carriers such a Jet Airways and Kingfisher have introduced more flights to India allowing for a controlled increase in the available capacity since 2005.



An approximately two-third of the total passenger traffic originating from the UK on-board the flights to India is accredited to two major metropolitan cities of Delhi and Mumbai. Heathrow is readily connected with flights to Mumbai and flights to Delhi with at least daily services of Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Jet Airways and Air India. Come December and the travellers flying from Heathrow would have non-stop flight to Hyderabad with British Airways, making it the first carrier to do so. The service would be available five times in a week. "Our investment in India is quite robust and it is here to stay," British Airways’ Area Commercial Manager, Amanda Amos, told reporters adding that, "the Indian market is important for us. It is the second largest market outside the US in terms of volume."



The UK Civil Aviation Authority disclosed in a passenger survey of Heathrow in 2006 that an estimated 45% of passengers to / from India were originating in the UK and 55% originated in India. Business traffic accounted for just 27% of total traffic out of which two-third originated in India.