Air India upgrades Heathrow Services in Major UK Expansion

Air India is set to significantly expand its India-to-UK connectivity for Northern Summer 2026, introducing upgraded aircraft, enhanced cabins, and increased capacity across major routes.

The airline’s latest schedule focuses on strengthening links between India and Britain, targeting visiting friends and relatives travellers alongside premium leisure and business passengers during the busy summer season.

The expansion marks a major step in Air India’s long-haul growth strategy as it aims to position itself as a stronger competitor on nonstop India to UK travel.

Central to the announcement is the deployment of aircraft featuring new cabin interiors on all London Heathrow services, creating a more consistent onboard experience across the airline’s flagship corridor.

From 1 August 2026, the Bengaluru to London Heathrow route will operate using retrofitted Boeing 787-8 aircraft equipped with upgraded interiors and a newly introduced Premium Economy cabin.

This will be the first time Premium Economy is available on the Bengaluru Heathrow service, reflecting growing demand for comfort-focused travel options among long-haul passengers.

With this addition, every Air India flight operating to and from London Heathrow will feature either newly delivered or refurbished cabins, standardising the passenger experience across routes.

The airline had already expanded London operations in 2025, including the introduction of a fourth daily Delhi Heathrow service, which is expected to continue into the Summer 2026 timetable.

By next summer, Air India is projected to operate up to 28 weekly flights between Delhi and Heathrow, creating one of the most frequent nonstop links between India and the UK.

Premium offerings will also expand beyond London, with First Class suites appearing on additional UK routes from mid 2026 using Boeing 777 300ER aircraft.

These include services connecting Amritsar and Delhi with Birmingham, alongside flights linking Ahmedabad and Amritsar with London Gatwick, improving access for regional diaspora communities.

The upgrades form part of a wider cabin modernisation programme valued at more than 400 million US dollars, covering Boeing 787 and Boeing 777 aircraft across the airline’s long-haul fleet.

Refitted aircraft will feature redesigned seating, updated in-flight entertainment systems and dedicated Premium Economy cabins, while First Class will remain available on selected Boeing 777 services.

New generation Airbus A350 aircraft and incoming Boeing 787-9 jets are increasingly anchoring long-haul growth, particularly on high-profile routes such as Delhi to London.

For Summer 2026, Air India has committed to operating the Delhi Heathrow route entirely with new generation aircraft, ensuring passengers experience the airline’s latest cabin products on every flight.

The UK expansion sits within a broader international network upgrade that also includes increased capacity and improved cabins on routes to Toronto, Melbourne and Tokyo Haneda.

Across Europe, North America, Australia and East Asia, the airline is adding frequencies and deploying larger aircraft to meet strong seasonal demand.

Air India is also restoring capacity reduced during an operational safety pause in 2025, with plans not only to recover but exceed previous long-haul levels on diaspora-heavy routes.

The strategy reflects the airline’s ongoing transformation under Tata Group ownership, which aims to close the gap with leading global full-service carriers in both product quality and schedule reliability.

For British South Asian travellers, the changes promise more nonstop choices, modernised cabins and wider access to Premium Economy and First Class options across London, Birmingham and Gatwick.

Summer 2026 will ultimately test whether higher frequencies and upgraded onboard experiences can win long-term loyalty from UK-India passengers, balancing affordability with comfort and convenience.