BRITISH AIRWAYS EYES INDIAN PROFIT TAKE-OFF : India Inc. Interview

British Airways recently became one of the first airlines to offer Indian students moving to the UK extra baggage allowance with the aim of attract­ing a major chunk of Indian air traffic across the globe.

Moran Birger, Regional Commercial Manager for South Asia at British Airways, believes the growing demand for air travel makes India one of the most dynamic markets for the country. While plans for a direct flight to connect the UK to Gujarat may still be further down the line, the airline has major plans to cash in on the booming airline sector in India.How has the baggage allowance hike for Indian students been received British Airways' annual student offers have been widely appreciated by our young customers in the past. We are delighted to return with yet another exciting offer for our student travellers from India this year.As part of this offer, we have announced double baggage allowance for students travelling from India to the UK, Europe, US or Canada. The offer allows an extra piece of luggage weighing up to 23kg, in addition to the current checked baggage allowance of one piece of luggage for the UK and Europe, or two pieces of luggage for destinations in the US and Canada.In addition, we have partnered with popular brands to help students make the most out of their travel experience with British Airways. These include retail offers from Jabong and Macy's, free mobile talk time with Matrix, offers with HDFC Credila Student Loans and exclusive benefits on ICICI student travel cards.The offer is valid for students from India travelling with British Airways between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016.Does BA plan to introduce direct flights to Gujarat, a long-standing demand in the UK Currently, we offer our customers a choice of 49 flights every week from five key cities - New Del­hi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad - to London Heathrow.We are constantly evaluating routes across our network and we make appropriate changes as the markets demand.What are British Airways' long-term plans for the Indian sector We are very optimistic about our business in India and the market's potential for future growth, particu­larly as customers become more discerning.We, as an organisation and as a brand, have grown with India as a world-recognised force in the civil aviation industry and remain committed to serving our customers here.This commitment is reflected in our numerous recent product and service enhancements, such as deploying our newest aircraft on our Indian routes, launching new menus and expanding our frequencies to key cities.How important is the Indian market for British Airways We have a long and proud heritage of serving our customers in India. In fact in December 2014, we celebrated 90 years of flights to the country. India is British Airways' second-largest market outside the UK and we have noted that it is growing at a rapid pace.Strong demand for international travel is being fuelled by the growth of domestic tourism in India and increasing outbound travel from India. More Indians are travelling abroad for leisure and business than ever before, primarily as a result of the country's burgeoning middle class with its massive purchasing power.Last year, British Airways further expanded its services in India. We launched a Boeing 787 Dreamliner service to Chennai in October 2014, along with an increase in flights from six times a week to daily. We also boosted our Hyderabad operations with the launch of Boeing 787 Dreamliner service in March 2014. Customers from both markets now have access to a cutting-edge inflight experience, including our newest cabins.