16 Oct 2025
#3 October 2025: India Aviation Newsletter
Air India Expands UK Connectivity This Winter
Air India is enhancing its United Kingdom network with a fourth daily service between Delhi and London Heathrow, effective 26 October 2025. The additional rotation increases total frequency from 24x to 28x weekly, adding nearly 1,200 seats in each direction per week. Operated by the airline’s new Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft, this expansion strengthens Air India’s position as the largest operator between India and the UK. The carrier now deploys 61 weekly flights across five Indian cities—Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Amritsar—to three British destinations: London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Birmingham, offering approximately 1.7 million annual seats between the two nations.
Akasa Air Refreshes Café Akasa Menu
Akasa Air has introduced a refreshed onboard dining experience under its Café Akasa brand, marking the third major menu update since launch. The airline’s latest menu combines health-conscious selections with indulgent treats, designed to cater to evolving passenger preferences. Akasa’s Chief Marketing Officer, Naarayan TV, highlighted that the new offerings are inspired by global culinary trends and align with the carrier’s customer-first ethos. By continuously evolving its menu, Akasa aims to provide a café-style dining experience in the skies that balances variety, inclusivity, and innovation, reinforcing its growing reputation for hospitality and attention to detail.
IndiGo Connects Delhi and Hanoi
IndiGo announced the launch of daily non-stop services between Delhi and Hanoi, commencing 20 December 2025. The route, operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, complements IndiGo’s existing 14 weekly flights from Kolkata to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. With Vietnam emerging as a popular destination for both tourism and trade, the new route enhances connectivity between the two nations. IndiGo’s Head of Global Sales, Vinay Malhotra, stated that this addition supports growing demand for affordable and reliable travel within the ASEAN region while strengthening IndiGo’s network across Southeast Asia.
Acumen’s Take
On Air India’s UK Expansion
The expansion highlights Air India’s strategic capacity scaling on high-yield long-haul routes amid fleet modernisation. By increasing London frequencies ahead of the winter season, Air India consolidates its transcontinental dominance while optimising A350 and 787 utilisation. The carrier’s focus on premium markets also aligns with its ongoing brand repositioning under the Vihaan.AI transformation plan.
On Akasa Air’s Café Menu Refresh
Akasa’s repeated investment in in-flight dining innovation shows how India’s youngest carrier is competing through differentiation rather than scale. The focus on quality, inclusivity, and health-conscious options supports Akasa’s positioning as a modern, passenger-centric airline—an approach that builds brand equity in a crowded domestic market.
On IndiGo’s Delhi–Hanoi Launch
IndiGo’s continued ASEAN expansion reflects its strategic push to capture emerging regional markets. Strengthening direct links between India and Vietnam boosts trade, tourism, and cultural exchange while reinforcing IndiGo’s dominance in short-haul international segments. The move also capitalises on rising outbound demand from Delhi and the wider North India region.
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