British Airways plans to expand services in India amid growing demand, says COO, new daily route likely in 2026

British Airways (BA) is planning to expand its services to the Indian market due to increasing travel demand, Chief Operating Officer Rene de Groot told PTI in an interview.

Speaking to the news agency, de Groot said the Indian aviation market has “incredible potential” and the airline will expand its services to meet demand while creating employment opportunities in the country.

COO de Groot says daily services will increase

BA has operated in India for over 100 years and currently operates 56 weekly flights between India and London. This includes three daily flights from Mumbai, two from Delhi and one each from Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad.

On expansion plans, de Groot said the airline plans to add a third daily flight from Delhi to London by 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.

“We always want to continue to expand our services as demand strengthens. We continue to keep our network program under constant review to ensure we are providing connectivity and choice to our customers. As demand strengthens, we remain focused on expanding our services and elevating the travel experience,” said De Groot.

Indian aviation market potential is “huge”

India is the second largest market for British Airways after the United States, and the airline has dedicated crew bases in every Indian city where it operates.

Groot said local staff play an important role in providing a first-class service that is personalized and free of language barriers. “We continue to create employment opportunities and support regional economies in India, while promoting the best of Britain,” he added.

CallBA, British Airways’ call center in India, has around 2,000 staff providing 24-hour support to customers in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific.

“From a people perspective, we have invested heavily in India and have steadily expanded our peer presence here with CallBA and the growth of our base of five Indian cabin crew,” Groot said.

CallBA is located in Gurugram, Haryana.

Additionally, British Airways has a codeshare agreement with IndiGo, and the airline operates 13 Indian stations through a joint venture with Qatar Airways, providing a total of 148 weekly flights to India. These are one-way, direct options from London with British Airways and Doha with Qatar Airways.

As part of its continued focus on India, in March British Airways also launched its Meet and Assist service for passengers requiring additional support when traveling from India to the UK.

“We see the dynamic growth of Indian carriers such as IndiGo and Air India as a positive development for the aviation industry and India’s emergence as a global aviation hub.

“India is our second largest market, and growing demand, combined with the expansion of carriers such as IndiGo, among others, reflects the incredible potential of this market,” Groot said.

India and the UK have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and the UK is also a leading destination for tourism and education. Half a million Indians visit the UK every year, and the Indian diaspora there also contributes significantly to travel demand.