British Airways eyes non-metro services from India

AVIATION SECTOR ON A ROLL

Eyeing a major chunk of India-London service, British Airways is planning to start services from Hyderabad and Kochi after winter 2006, and the airline would launch a new five-times-a-week service from Bangalore to London Heathrow on October 30.

"We are planning to start services from non-metro cities like Hyderabad and Kochi after winter 2006. We are currently reviewing the bilateral agreement for the proposed service. We will be soon conducting the techno-economic feasibility for the Hyderabad and Kochi route," Sriram Narayan, manager (central India), British Airways, said.

British Airways currently operates 19 flights per week from London Heathrow to four cities in India that include a daily service to Delhi, a daily service to Mumbai, three times a week to Kolkata and twice a week to Chennai. From October 30, the airline would introduce five-times-per-week service from London to Bangalore, he said.

According to British Airways marketing manager (south Asia) Charles P Carneiro, the airline is looking to further enhance its presence in India with better connectivity to non-metro cities. Currently, the connectivity to non-metro cities is carried out by the way of alliances with Jet Airways, Indian Airlines and 'preferred partner' Air Sahara.

"We are exploring the non-metros including Hyderabad, Kochi, Goa, Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmedabad. However, Hyderabad will be our immediate focus," Carnerio said.

Carnerio said the airline would double its frequencies from Mumbai to twice daily and increase its flights from Chennai to six a week. British Airways has also planned a further increase in its frequencies from New Delhi to London Heathrow to twice daily from summer 2006.