British Airways (BA) and Indian domestic carrier, Vistara, have today announced a new partnership that will open up more routes between India and London than ever before.

As part of the new agreement, customers can book seats on Vistara flights to destinations across India from Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. Seats are available to buy online from today, for travel from September 27.
 
British Airways operates two direct flights a day from Heathrow to Mumbai, a double daily service to Delhi and a daily flight to Chennai. The airline also flies direct to Hyderabad and Bengaluru from Terminal 5 and is rolling out a £4.5 billion, five-year customer investment plan, that includes the installation of the best quality Wi-Fi and the delivery of 72 new aircraft.

The agreement means that British Airways customers will now be able to visit 13 new destinations across the region, opening up cities such as Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Goa, Kolkata, Kochi, and Pune, that have previously been more difficult to access from the UK.

Rishi Kapoor, British Airways’ head of Alliances, said: “We have been flying to India for more than 90 years, so it is incredibly exciting for us to be able to announce this partnership with such a well-respected carrier. We have been wanting to expand our network in the region for some time and to have Vistara on board is great news for our customers and for companies based in these important cities. Whether it’s soaking up the beaches in Goa, India’s sunshine state, exploring Kochi, Kerala’s colourful city, or taking in the temples and culture of Amritsar, this partnership opens up a whole new range of destinations for holidaymakers too.”

Sanjiv Kapoor, chief strategy and commercial officer, Vistara, said: “We are delighted to extend our existing interline and through check-in partnership with British Airways to a codeshare agreement. This partnership reaffirms our commitment to taking India’s finest airline brand beyond Indian borders, and it gives us the opportunity of welcoming travellers from around the world to experience the ‘new feeling of flying’ in India with Vistara. We share a lot in common with British Airways, key among which is our focus on delighting customers. We are confident that our respective customers will truly enjoy the reciprocal benefits of this collaboration.”

British Airways customers travelling on the codeshare flights will be able to check their bags straight through to their final destination and both airlines use the same terminals at Delhi and Mumbai airports, making it even easier for customers to connect on to domestic services.

Customers travelling on Vistara will enjoy complimentary meals and will be able to choose between three different cabins, including India’s only Premium Economy class. As part of the codeshare agreement, British Airways Executive Club members can also collect Avios and earn tier points when booking on ‘BA’ coded Vistara flights.

British Airways offers dedicated services on flights to India, including tailored menus and local language speaking cabin crew. - TradeArabia News Service