Finally: Air India Opens Bookings For Bengaluru to London Gatwick Route

After a long postponement, Air India has finally opened the bookings for the Bengaluru to London Gatwick route. The airline had listed this service in this summer schedule and as expected, the bookings have been commenced. Earlier, this route was expected to start from May 1.

Air India to Connect Bengaluru to Gatwick

Bengaluru will become the fifth Indian airport on the network map of London Gatwick Airport. From August 18, Air India will commence non-stop service connecting Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) to London Gatwick Airport (LGW).

Air India will mark its entry with a weekly frequency of five flights. It will operate every day except Tuesdays and Saturdays. With the addition of this service, Bengaluru KIA will become the only airport in India to be connected to both Heathrow and Gatwick.

Here is a quick look at the flight timings:

The airline will utilize its Boeing 787 Dreamliner on this route. It has a fleet of 27 B787s, configured with 18 Business and 238 Economy Class seats.

Campbell Wilson statement: “We are delighted to offer our guests convenient, non-stop flights between Bengaluru and London Gatwick. This new route caters to the growing demand for travel between these two important business and leisure destinations, and strengthens our commitment to expanding our global network.”

Now that Air India has officially confirmed Bengaluru Airport as its south Indian hub, I would expect the announcement of some more long-haul international connections in the coming time. Bengaluru to Frankfurt is another route, on which I expect the presence of Air India by the end of this financial year.

In March 2023, Air India shifted its London operations from four cities- Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Kochi, and Goa from Heathrow to Gatwick. The airline was having difficulties in getting slots at the congested airport. As of now, it is connecting Heathrow with Delhi and Heathrow.

Strengthening the European Network of Bengaluru Airport

With this launch, three airlines will be operating between Bengaluru and London. Although the other two- British Airways and Virgin Atlantic operate from Heathrow. Jointly, these airlines will be operating 19 times a week between Bengaluru and London.

In April, Virgin Atlantic started its daily Bengaluru service. From August, Bengaluru will be connected to six European airports: Munich, Frankfurt, Paris, Heathrow, Amsterdam, and Gatwick.

Furthermore, Lufthansa will be upgrading its product on the Bengaluru to Munich route in the coming winter schedule. The German flag carrier will be deploying its Airbus A350s equipped with the latest Allegris cabin on this route from October-end.

Air India Expansion to Europe

Since the privatization, the airline has kept its eyes on the European market. Within months of the takeover, it resumed services to Milan, Vienna, and Copenhagen. Later, it added flights to Amsterdam. Once the slot issues arose at Heathrow Airport, it shifted some operations to Gatwick.

Now, Air India is all set to foray into the Switzerland market with the launch of the Zurich service. By the end of June, the flight services from Delhi to Milan, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen will see an increase.

With this Bengaluru to Gatwick launch, the airline is on the right path to achieving its aim of tripling the European network. The only thing it needs is a good product onboard its aircraft, which will take at least a couple of months from now. It has already upgraded the majority of LHR ops to former Etihad Boeing 777s.

Conclusion: Air India to Connect Bengaluru to Gatwick

Air India is all set to start flights connecting Bengaluru and London Gatwick. This will be the airline’s fifth connection to Gatwick Airport. It already operates flights from Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Goa, and Kochi to Gatwick. The airline will operate five times a week with its Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

What do you think about this new route from Air India? Discuss in the comment section.