Air India has announced the launch of five-times weekly non-stop services between Bengaluru and London Gatwick from August 18, making Bengaluru the fifth Indian city to be connected to the British capital.

Air India, the largest international carrier in India, has announced it will start non-stop services between Bengaluru and London Gatwick (LGW), starting August 18.

In a press statement, AI says that this will make Bengaluru the fifth Indian city to be connected to the United Kingdom’s second-largest airport.

Flights AI177 will depart from Bengaluru at 13:05 and arrive at London Gatwick at 19:05 every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The return flights AI178 will depart from London Gatwick at 20:35 on the same days and arrive at Bengaluru at 10:50 the next day.

The service, which will further strengthen Air India’s presence in the UK, reinforces the strong economic and cultural links between India and the UK, according to the airline.

The statement adds that Air India will operate five-times weekly between Bengaluru and London Gatwick, thus taking the total count of its flights to and from London Gatwick to 17-times weekly.

The airline adds that this route will be served by its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on the route, featuring 18 flat beds in Business class and 238 seats in Economy.

“We are delighted to offer our guests convenient, non-stop flights between Bengaluru and London Gatwick. This new route caters to the growing demand for travel between these two important business and leisure destinations, and strengthens our commitment to expanding our global network,” says Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Air India.

The statement adds that Air India currently connects four other Indian cities to London Gatwick, namely Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Goa, and Kochi. The airline additionally operates 31-times weekly to London Heathrow, and 6-times weekly to and from Birmingham.