Mamata to British Airways: Bring Back London-Kolkata Flights!

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged British Airways to resume direct London-Kolkata flights. She also invited British businesses to invest in the state. Speaking at the “Opportunities in West Bengal” session in London on Tuesday, she highlighted the growing demand for direct flights.

Banerjee reminded the audience that British Airways stopped its London-Kolkata route in 2009, before her party came to power in 2011. She emphasized the high demand now, saying, “Every flight is almost fully booked.” To attract airlines, she offered fuel tax concessions to the first airline to resume direct service.

Air India also canceled its direct Kolkata-London flight in 2008 due to low passenger numbers. However, Banerjee argued that the current demand justifies restoring the route. She called on British Airways and other UK airlines to take advantage of the incentives her government offers.

Beyond aviation, Banerjee encouraged British industries to invest in West Bengal’s green technologies, smart infrastructure, and clean energy sectors. “We welcome further partnerships in automation, engineering, green manufacturing, and artificial intelligence,” she said.

Banerjee highlighted the success of the Bengal Global Business Summits (BGBS), which have brought investment proposals worth over ₹23 lakh crore. She noted the UK’s past participation as a partner country in these summits and emphasized the continued cooperation between West Bengal and the UK.

She also mentioned that West Bengal has agreed to studies proposed by the British High Commission. These studies aim to strengthen the state’s tax revenue and develop green budgeting under the India-UK cooperation framework.

Before returning to India on Friday, Banerjee will deliver a lecture at the University of Oxford on Thursday. Her visit to the UK focuses on strengthening economic ties and attracting foreign investment to West Bengal.

By offering incentives and emphasizing strong demand, Banerjee aims to revive the direct London-Kolkata flight and boost economic cooperation with the UK.