To celebrate 100 years of flying from India to the UK, British Airways has introduced limited-time menus on flights to the UK, US and Canada, with traditional dishes including phaldari kofta and bhapa doi

·         Customers on board can also expect a special chai from Twinings, a single malt from the Rajasthan region, Godawan, and more than 100 Indian films as part of the airline’s inflight entertainment

·         British Airways currently operates 56 flights per week to London Heathrow from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, increasing to 63 per week in Summer 2025

India, October 17, 2024: To mark 100years of connecting India and the UK, British Airways is celebrating with its customers by bringing India’s vibrant culture to the skies.  Until the end of November, the airline is uniting its renowned British service with the tastes and heritage of India by offering specially curated menus, warming traditional Indian treats, and a bumper collection of Indian films for customers to enjoy on board.

Savour the flavors of India
An exclusive centenary menu has been thoughtfully crafted to elevate the inflight dining experience, showcasing a variety of traditional Indian dishes made from authentic ingredients. Designed by the airline’s own catering team to cater to a range of palettes, dishes across its cabins include:

·         Phaldari kofta, five spice vegetables, pomegranate seeds, korma sauce

·         Spiced grilled lamb rack, okra do pyaza, Rogan josh sauce, papadum

·         Railway lamb curry, five spiced vegetables, basmati rice

·         Zafrani chicken, coconut rice, saag makai, xacuti sauce

·         Young Jackfruit biryani

·         Bhapa Doi with mangoes, papaya and passion fruit

A warming sip of tradition
The airline is also introducing a special selection of spiced chai from its tea partner, Twinings, capturing the essence of India’s beloved masala chai culture. Combining aromatic spices such as cardamom and cinnamon with a subtle taste of ginger, this intensely flavoured black tea offers both warmth and comfort with every sip.

A toast to celebrate
Continuing to celebrate authentic and local products, British Airways is offering a single malt from the Rajasthan region, Godawan in its Club World (business class) cabin. It’s a perfect way for customers to toast to a century of service and excellence.

Enriching Indian Entertainment Options
Matching 100 years, British Airways is enriching its inflight entertainment with more than 100 Indian films available for customers to enjoy throughout their flight. Classics include The Burning Train, Dil Chahta Hai, while more recent films include titles such as Kantara, Jawan, In the belly of a tiger to name a few. 

Calum Laming, British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer says, “We’re proud to have a long history of connecting India and the UK. Our predecessor, Imperial Airlines, first flew to New Delhi in 1924 and since then, we’ve grown our operations from London to five major Indian cities. This centenary is a massive milestone for us and one that deserves a big celebration, so we’re thrilled to bring the vibrancy of these destinations to the skies. We very much look forward to welcoming customers on board to join in with the festivities and help us celebrate a century of flying the UK flag to one of our most important markets.”

Notes to editors

·         British Airways currently operates 56 flights a week from India to London Heathrow as follows:

o   Three times daily from Mumbai

o   Double daily from Delhi

o   Daily services from Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

·         From 20 April 2025, British Airways will add a third daily flight to its schedule between Delhi and London Heathrow.  This will increase the airline’s schedule across India to 63 flights a week across five cities.  

About British Airways:

As a global airline and the UK’s flag carrier, British Airways has been flying its customers to where they need to be for more than 100 years. The airline connects Britain with the world and the world with Britain, operating one of the most extensive international scheduled airline route networks together with its joint business, codeshare and franchise partners. British Airways flies to destinations in more than 65 countries. Its principal place of business is London, with its main home at Heathrow Terminal 5.

In September 2021, British Airways launched its sustainability programme, BA Better World, committing to put sustainability at the heart of everything it does and with a clear roadmap to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

British Airways is a founding member of the airline alliance oneworld, which serves around 1,000 destinations across the globe.

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