Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: Given the huge influx of inbound and outbound travellers between India and the United Kingdom (UK), the two countries are in talks to ink a new agreement to permit airlines to deploy more flights between Delhi, Mumbai, and London Heathrow airports.
According to sources, “the agreement will result in an addition of 14 extra flights between Delhi, Mumbai, and London, thus taking the current count of weekly flights from 56 to 70. London has a sizeable Indian diaspora that frequently travels to India, while the UK’s popularity as a tourist destination attracts thousands of Indian tourists every year, especially during the festive season. The increase in the quota of flights will facilitate these tourists to a great extent.”
The move also draws on the current Open Sky air service agreement between India and the UK, which includes flight quotas based on destinations. Signed in 2017, this agreement limits the number of flights plying from Bengaluru and Hyderabad to 14 per week, while the threshold of those between Delhi, Mumbai, and Heathrow is limited to 56 flights per week.
Currently, UK airlines such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have reached their quota and are not able to launch new flights. Earlier this year, British Airways CEO Sean Doyle also talked about the importance of liberalising air service agreements while maintaining that the policy ecosystem must be aligned to the changing requirements. Similar sentiments were voiced by a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson.
While UK airlines have concern around the number of flights, Indian airlines, such as Air India and Vistara, face constraints due to limited slots at Heathrow Airport. According to the report, Indian airlines have requested government intervention to secure additional slots, as they intend to take advantage of the new agreement.
