Air India to operate direct flights from Bengaluru to London Gatwick: Report

Air India to inaugurate direct flights from Bengaluru to London Gatwick, augmenting UK travel options.

Starting August 18, Bengaluru will be linked to London Gatwick (LGW) airport, marking the fifth Indian city to establish direct connectivity with the UK's second-largest airport, The Indian Express reported.

The airline has designated its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft for this route. (HT Archive)

Air India will initiate operations with five pairs of flights per week connecting Bengaluru and London Gatwick, bringing the total number of flights to and from London Gatwick to 17 pairs per week. The airline has designated its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft for this route, equipped with 18 flat beds in Business class and 238 seats in Economy, the report said.

Air India's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD), Campbell Wilson, said, as quoted by the publication, “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.”

According to the press release by Air India, flight AI 177 will depart from Bengaluru at 13:05 IST (Indian Standard Time) and land in London Gatwick at 19:05 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). The flight will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Concurrently, flight AI 178 will depart from London Gatwick at 20:35 GMT on the same days and reach Bengaluru at 10:50 IST the following day. Bookings for these flights opened on Friday.

Currently, Air India connects four Indian cities to London Gatwick: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Goa, and Kochi. Moreover, the airline operates 31 pairs of flights weekly to London's Heathrow and six pairs of flights to and from Birmingham.