Twelve flights a week to four destinations will start from 26 March, the airline has confirmed. The carrier will offer three flights a week to Goa, plus another three to Kochi, gateway to the state of Kerala, another popular destination for UK visitors.
In addition, there will be three flights a week to Amritsar, in the state of Punjab and three to Ahmedabad in Gujarat. All flights will be operated by 256-seat Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
It is the first time Air India has operated to Gatwick. The change of direction follows an ownership shake-up at the carrier. After 69 years as a government-owned enterprise, Air India and Air India Express were brought back into the Tata group at the start of 2022. The new management has a five-year transformation plan for the airline.
Air India said of the new services: “This is part of the airline’s ongoing endeavour to spread its wings on the international aviation map, hence increasing its market share on international routes.”
Stewart Wingate, Gatwick chief executive said: “The arrival of Air India and its four routes to London Gatwick is fantastic news for the airport and passengers across London and the south-east.
“India not only offers wonderful cities and beach destinations to explore but provides a wealth of opportunities for businesses and wider connectivity. These connections are also hugely important to our local and regional communities, with people looking to visit family and friends across India.”
As well as the new Gatwick services, Air India, a Star Alliance member, will add five additional weekly frequencies from Heathrow, with Delhi increasing from 14 to 17 times a week and Mumbai from 12 to 14 times a week.
