British Airways, SWISS Boost India Flights as Gulf Capacity Shrinks

European carriers British Airways and SWISS are rapidly increasing capacity on India routes to London and Zurich as flight cancellations and airspace restrictions across the Gulf disrupt traditional one-stop corridors between India and Europe.

New Temporary Links From Delhi and Mumbai to London

Publicly available schedules show that British Airways will add short-term services from both Delhi and Mumbai to London Heathrow as the Middle East crisis continues to squeeze capacity through Gulf hubs. The additional flights are scheduled to run during April and May 2026, overlapping with India’s peak summer travel period and the early phase of the country’s new summer timetable.

According to recent coverage of schedule changes, the airline plans to operate a third daily service from Delhi to London Heathrow between 7 April and 31 May. A similar third daily rotation from Mumbai to Heathrow is expected from 15 May to 31 May, creating a concentrated burst of extra seats on two of India’s most important long-haul routes.

The extra services effectively deepen British Airways’ presence on the Delhi and Mumbai corridors at a time when many India–Europe passengers are avoiding connections through Gulf hubs. With hundreds of flights to and from the Gulf cancelled in recent weeks and further reductions signalled by schedule data providers, travelers are increasingly seeking nonstop or non-Gulf options for reaching the United Kingdom and onward destinations.

Industry analysts note that the increased London capacity also offers airlines a chance to recapture higher-yield corporate and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) traffic that might otherwise have routed via Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi. For British Airways, the move positions Heathrow as a stable alternative gateway for Indian passengers amid rapidly changing conditions in West Asia.

SWISS Doubles Delhi–Zurich Services for Spring

SWISS, part of the Lufthansa Group, is pursuing a similar strategy on its Delhi–Zurich route. Recent announcements reported in aviation media indicate that the carrier will operate an additional daily flight between the Indian capital and Zurich from 1 April through 31 May 2026, temporarily turning the route into a double-daily service.

The added rotation supplements SWISS’s existing daily widebody operation and is structured to offer morning departures from Delhi with early afternoon arrivals into Zurich, improving connections across the airline’s European and transatlantic network. In the opposite direction, evening departures from Zurich enable overnight arrivals into Delhi, a schedule pattern generally preferred by business travelers.

Reports indicate that this short-term expansion has been made possible by redeploying aircraft that have become available due to cutbacks on services touching crisis-affected airspace. With parts of the Gulf and surrounding region subject to airspace closures, restrictions and elevated operational risk, carriers such as SWISS have been forced to trim some frequencies and reroute others, freeing capacity that can be profitably shifted to more stable corridors.

Travel industry observers suggest that Zurich’s role as a secondary European hub for Indian travelers is likely to grow if disruptions around key Gulf airports persist into the northern summer. The additional SWISS frequencies also bolster options for passengers connecting onwards to cities in continental Europe, Canada and the United States without transiting the Middle East.

Gulf Airlines Scale Back as Crisis Deepens

The backdrop to the European expansion is a sharp reduction in services by Gulf-based airlines caused by the unfolding conflict in the wider Middle East and its impact on fuel prices and airspace access. Aviation analytics and regional media reports show that dozens of carriers operating out of the Gulf Cooperation Council states have cut capacity since late February, with many suspending flights or operating emergency-only services on specific days.

In India, data cited by local business publications indicate that carriers have cancelled thousands of flights to Gulf destinations since the end of February, while capacity between the Middle East and the rest of the world has been reduced by around one-third compared with pre-crisis schedules. Several Gulf hubs have faced temporary closures, diversions or curfews, disrupting the intricate wave patterns that underpin their connecting-bank models.

The crisis has also driven a rapid spike in jet fuel prices and lengthened flight times due to detours around sensitive airspace, pushing operating costs higher for all airlines that rely heavily on routes touching the region. For Gulf carriers, whose business models depend on funneling large volumes of transfer traffic between Asia, Europe and North America, the combined effect of higher costs and constrained airspace has been particularly severe.

As a result, passengers who would normally favor one-stop itineraries via Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi or other Gulf hubs are being rebooked onto alternative routings through Europe or Southeast Asia. This shift in booking patterns has created an opening for airlines like British Airways and SWISS to step in with extra non-Gulf capacity linking India directly with their home hubs.

Delhi Airport Reallocates Slots to Foreign Carriers

The surge in demand for non-Gulf options has prompted Indian airports and regulators to adjust operations. Recent coverage in Indian business media notes that Delhi International Airport has temporarily reassigned slots given up by Indian and Gulf carriers to a selection of foreign airlines for a period of around two to three weeks in late March and April.

This short-term reallocation has enabled airlines such as British Airways to mount extra services at short notice, ensuring that some of the capacity lost on Gulf routes is partially offset by direct or alternative one-stop links. The decision reflects an effort by airport operators to preserve connectivity for India’s large outbound and inbound markets, as well as to limit disruption for transit passengers.

India’s summer schedule, which began on 29 March 2026, already features around 10 percent fewer domestic flights than the previous year as carriers respond to higher fuel costs and broader uncertainties linked to the conflict. Against that backdrop, the additional international services from European airlines are emerging as an important pressure valve for long-haul demand.

Industry commentators point out that, while these measures are currently described as temporary, their success could influence longer-term slot and capacity decisions. If demand for non-Gulf routings remains strong through the summer, Indian authorities and airports may face calls to maintain or expand direct connectivity with European hubs even after conditions in West Asia stabilize.

What the Capacity Shift Means for Indian Travelers

For Indian travelers, the rapid shift in capacity is reshaping route choices, travel times and pricing in real time. With Gulf options constrained, many passengers bound for Europe, North America and Africa are rediscovering the appeal of nonstop or single-connection journeys via traditional European gateways like London and Zurich.

Travel advisors note that the extra British Airways and SWISS flights could temporarily ease seat shortages on some premium routes during the April and May window, particularly for travelers originating in Delhi and Mumbai. However, overall supply between India and the wider Middle East remains significantly reduced, and higher operating costs mean that fares on many long-haul sectors are still elevated compared with early 2025.

The situation also underscores the importance of flexible ticket policies and careful itinerary planning. With the regional environment still fluid, published reports emphasize that schedules remain subject to rapid change, and passengers may face further adjustments to routings, timings or operating carriers at short notice.

For now, the added links to London and Zurich highlight how global airlines are rebalancing their networks to keep India connected during a period of acute geopolitical stress. As the crisis evolves, the balance between Gulf and non-Gulf routings is likely to remain one of the most closely watched dynamics in the India–Europe aviation market.