After CM prod, BA to resume Kolkata-London direct flight
The Statesman | 30 March 2025
As chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged British Airways(BA) to resume direct London-Kolkata flights, BA is all set to resume its direct flights between Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport and London’s Heathrow Airport.
British Airways operated flights to Kolkata for nearly 80 years before ceasing operations in March 2009. Air India briefly filled the gap from 2005 to 2008, but the route was suspended, pertaining to low demand. The airline resumed services to London during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, only to discontinue the route in 2022. After a long hiatus, British Airways is all set to resume its direct flights between Kolkata and London’s Heathrow airport. The airline route will follow a bi-weekly schedule, which will likely benefit 2,00,000 passengers annually. The Kolkata-London flights will also boost trade and tourism between India and the UK. While a one-stop flight between Kolkata and London takes roughly 12-15 hours, the direct route will reduce the travel time to just eight hours, offering an efficient and comfortable journey. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft will service this bi-weekly route (with the potential for an increased frequency based on passenger demand).
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Meanwhile, Air India Express has launched its ‘Payday Sale,’ offering Xpress Value fares from Rs 1,499 and zero check-in baggage ‘Xpress Lite’ fares starting from Rs 1,429 available for logged-in members booking on the airline’s website. The sale is open for bookings from 28 March to 31 March, 2025, for travel between 1 April, 2025, and 20 September. As part of this offer, bookings made on the airline’s website can enjoy zero convenience fees. Xpress Lite fares come with added benefits, such as the option to pre-book an additional 3 kg of cabin baggage at no additional cost and discounted check-in baggage rates, with 15 kg available for Rs 1,000 on domestic flights and 20 kg for Rs 1,300 on international flights.