PASSENGERS travelling from India to the UK have been asked to check fares on airline websites after it emerged that a one-way ticket to London in economy ranged between £980 and £1,360.
The advisory from India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), came on Tuesday (10) as reports last weekend suggested a steep hike in airfares after the UK government moved India from the red list to amber.
This means an adult passenger arriving in the UK from India does not have to pay £2,285 for 10 days-quarantine in a hotel.
Reports of the fare hike made headlines when an official at India’s home ministry, Sanjeev Gupta, last Saturday (7) posted on social media that an economy-class one-way ticket on British Airways’ Delhi-London flight for August 26 was touching almost £4,000.
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However, India’s ministry of civil aviation denied the official’s claims, insisting instead that the fare during August ranged between £980 to £1,360, which is more than double that of pre-pandemic fares.
“The fares offered on the Delhi-London sector (economy class) range from Rs 1.03 lakh-Rs1.21 lakh for Indian carriers and Rs 1.28lakh - Rs 1.47 lakh for UK carriers for travel during August 2021,” the ministry tweeted last Sunday (8).
Responding to Sanjeev’s claim, Air India tweeted the same day that the current fares available on its "official website for Delhi London sector is approximately 1.15 L (£115)”.
As the UK eased travel restrictions last week, thousands of travellers in India, who scrambled to book their tickets to the UK, were taken aback by the unexpectedly high prices.
Currently, four airlines that operate direct flights between India and the UK are Vistara, Air India, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
A one-way ticket from Delhi to London in the economy, which used to cost between £500 and £780, is now priced between £1,200 and £1,500.
Shakti Gupta from Delhi-based travel and ticketing agency, Travelmagic, told Eastern Eye that reports of fares for travel from Delhi to London touching £4,000 are a case of “over-exaggeration”. However, Gupta admitted that economy class airfares have indeed doubled and, in some cases, trebled when compared to fares before the pandemic.
He noted a huge rush of Indian students flying to England ahead of the start of the academic year at universities.
Saurabh Tiwari from Delhi-based Sushant Travels also acknowledged the price rise, saying due to high prices, most travellers from India are not making any plans for now and only students are bearing the brunt as they have no other option.
(Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)
Nishant Pitti, CEO and co-founder of Ease My Trip, an online booking agent, also said there has been an increase in the average economy fares for international travel in August when compared to fares in July.
"Recently, a large number of countries have eased their travel restrictions for Indian citizens, which has steadily increased demand for travel as there is a huge pent-up travel demand," he said, adding that rising fuel costs also contributed to the increase in airfare.
The DGCA last Sunday (8) asked airlines to submit details about how much they charge for airfares from India to the UK, though the move has been sidelined by industry stakeholders.
“International airfares are neither regulated nor monitored as they are dependent on demand and supply,” a local media outlet quoted a senior airline official.
On Tuesday, the aviation regulator said, “Passengers travelling to international destinations are requested to check the fare preferably from the website of the concerned airline as the metasearch engines at times do not reflect the actual point to point fare and do make combinations of multiple airlines and end up with an exaggerated figure.”
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While airfares before the pandemic depended on the date and class of travel, passengers now may have to shell out more due to rising fuel costs and limited supply.
As of now, only 15 flights are permitted between India and the UK per week, leading to a hike in demand and hence, steep fares, claimed Vistara.
“Pricing is always a function of supply and demand. There are only 15 flights a week allowed currently on the India-UK route for Indian carriers and when there is relaxation and more capacity allowed, it will automatically bring down prices,” Vistara Spokesperson told Eastern Eye responding to the unexpectedly high airfares.
Also, most of the seats got quickly filled up due to “pent-up demand” when the UK lifted restrictions – these could have been passengers who booked their tickets but could not travel due to the restrictions of India being on the red list. However, after India moved to the amber list, most of the lowest-costing economy seats got booked on almost all regular flights from India to the UK.
“Only upper bucket economy and business class seats are available now and hence the fares dynamics are on a higher side,” tweeted state carrier Air India. It is expected to have 16 weekly flights from India to the UK from Monday (16), at par with pre-pandemic times.
Overall, a combination of four factors - limited weekly flights, pent-up demand, students rushing to travel in time for universities to reopen for a new academic year and a requirement to travel non-stop due to the current rules - has led to spiralling fares, reports said.
“Generally, even pre-covid, July and August have always been very expensive to fly because these are peak dates for flights anywhere in the world. If you look at mid/late September onwards, the fares may come down. The pent-up demand is very high compared to the capacity the airlines have put in,” Jaymin Borkhatria of Southall Travel told Eastern Eye.
Travel agents in the UK have also admitted a rise in fares in August, although that hike in UK-India flights is comparatively less than the almost 200 per cent rise in airfares from India to the UK.
An average fare from London to Delhi was anywhere between £361 and £500, while a similar class fare from Delhi to London can cost between £1,200 and £1,500.
Many Indian travel agents, like Shakti, noted that the disparity in prices is unprecedented and unlike anything seen before the pandemic.
(Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 last year amid the coronavirus pandemic and limited special international passenger flights have been operating since July 2020 under the air bubble arrangements formed with 28 countries, including the UK.
Following the announcement by the UK government last week, post-Sunday (8), fully vaccinated passengers from India will no longer have to compulsorily undergo 10-day hotel quarantine though they still have to quarantine for 10 days at the place of their stay in the country.
Shakti said many Indian travellers are not yet clear about what is required of them and he added that social media users are only adding to the confusion with false and unverified claims.
Another travel agent confirmed this was the case and said some travel companies were “cashing in on the situation”.
Industry experts said airfares are likely to remain high as long as the current “slashed weekly limit” of direct flights between India and the UK continues.
INDIA's prime minister Narendra Modi is likely to travel to the UK by the end of this month for a visit that could see both sides formally sign the landmark India-UK free trade agreement and explore ways to expand bilateral ties in the defence and security sphere, diplomatic sources said.
Both sides are in the process of finalising the dates for Modi's visit to the country by the end of July or the first part of August, they said.
Earlier, there were indications that British prime minister Keir Starmer would visit India first. It is understood that Starmer may visit India later this year.
In May, India and the UK sealed the free trade agreement that is expected to benefit 99 per cent of Indian exports through tariff elimination and will make it easier for British firms to export whisky, cars and other products to India, while boosting the overall trade basket.
Along with the FTA - the biggest the UK has negotiated since leaving the European Union - the two sides also sealed a double taxation convention.
Modi had described the two pacts as a "historic milestone" to catalyse trade, investment, growth and job creation in both economies and further deepen the India-UK comprehensive strategic partnership.
The trade deal, finalised after three years of negotiations, is expected to ensure comprehensive market access for Indian goods across all sectors, and India will gain from tariff elimination on about 99 per cent of tariff lines (product categories) covering almost 100 per cent of the trade values, according to officials.
A British readout had said Indian tariffs would be slashed, locking in reductions on 90 per cent of tariff lines, with 85 per cent of these becoming fully tariff-free within a decade.
In 2023-24, India was the UK's second-largest source of investments in terms of the number of projects for the fifth consecutive year.
During Modi's visit, both sides are also expected to explore ways to expand defence and security cooperation. The two sides may also deliberate on the implementation of the Technology Security Initiative (TSI).
In July last year, India and the UK finalised the Technology Security Initiative that set out a new approach for collaboration in a range of priority sectors, including telecommunications, critical minerals, semiconductors and artificial intelligence, with a broader aim to elevate their strategic partnership to the next level.
The TSI would also provide a framework for building a broad UK-India semiconductor partnership that will leverage each other's strengths and incentives and explore mutually beneficial research and development as well as supply chain resilience, according to a statement.
It also seeks to build upon the ambitious cooperation agenda set out in the India-UK Roadmap 2030.
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Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Investigators are focusing on fuel control switches in the Air India crash.
The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
A preliminary report is expected by Friday, around 30 days after the crash.
A PRELIMINARY report into the Air India crash that killed 241 people in June is expected by Friday, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
One of the sources said investigators have narrowed their focus to the movement of the aircraft’s fuel control switches.
The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, after it began losing altitude at around 650 feet. Of the 242 people on board, 241 died, along with others on the ground.
Investigators are examining the movement of the engine fuel control switches after analysing data from the plane’s flight and voice recorders, one of the sources said. The probe has also included a Boeing simulation of the aircraft’s final moments.
The same source said the investigation has not raised any immediate concerns about mechanical failure, and no bulletin has been issued to airlines recommending changes to 787 operations.
Boeing declined to comment.
The Air Current aviation publication was the first to report that investigators were focusing on the fuel switches, which are responsible for powering the aircraft’s two engines.
It is not yet clear what specific actions involving the fuel switches are being examined.
According to the Air Current, information from the black boxes does not confirm or rule out whether the actions that led to the loss of thrust were improper, inadvertent or intentional.
US aviation safety expert John Cox said the fuel switches cannot be moved accidentally. “You can’t bump them and they move,” he said. He added that if a switch is shut off, the impact on engine power would be almost immediate.
Most air crashes result from a combination of factors. Reuters had earlier reported that investigators were focusing at least in part on engine thrust.
Although the report by Indian investigators could be released on Friday, the three sources cautioned that the timeline could change. It is also unclear how much detail will be included in the report, which is expected roughly 30 days after the June 12 crash.
The sources requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, which is leading the investigation under international rules, did not respond to a request for comment outside regular working hours.
Information release
The investigation has faced criticism over limited information being made public. It took nearly two weeks to retrieve and analyse the flight recorder data. The government held only one press conference and did not take questions.
India has now reversed an earlier decision, first reported by Reuters, to block a UN aviation expert from participating in the probe. Two senior sources said a specialist from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has been granted observer status, following a request by the agency.
ICAO declined to comment, stating that public discussions about “cooperative arrangements” would require approval from the state involved.
The crash comes as the Tata Group works to rebuild Air India’s reputation and overhaul its fleet after taking over the airline from the government in 2022.
India is pushing to expand its aviation sector, with the government aiming to turn the country into a job-creating global hub like Dubai, which currently handles a large share of India’s international air traffic.
A parliamentary panel is also set to review civil aviation safety and has called several industry and government officials to testify on Wednesday. The agenda will include questions about the recent crash.
FORMER prime minister Rishi Sunak has returned to the banking world as senior adviser at Goldman Sachs group, with plans to donate his salary to the education charity he recently established with his wife Akshata Murty.
The US-headquartered multinational investment bank, where Sunak worked before entering politics, made the announcement on Tuesday (8) after the requisite 12-month period elapsed since the British Indian leader's ministerial term concluded following defeat in the general election on July 4 last year.
The UK Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, which must approve jobs taken by former ministers for at least two years after leaving office, gave its approval with conditions "to mitigate the potential risks to the government" regarding privileged information Sunak would have as a former prime minister.
The committee noted that the salary from his new role would go towards the Richmond Project, a charity announced earlier this year as a joint initiative with Murty focused on improving mathematics and numeracy skills among children and young people in England.
"Goldman Sachs has a significant interest in UK government policy. As the former Prime Minister, there is reasonable concern that your appointment could be seen to offer unfair access and influence within the UK government," the committee stated in its advice published this week.
"You and Goldman Sachs have confirmed to the committee that the role will not involve lobbying the government, which all former ministers are prevented from doing for two years after leaving office. The committee considered that it would be difficult to mitigate the risk of perceived lobbying if you initiated engagement of any kind with the UK government in this role, noting this is not your stated intention."
Under the stipulations, Sunak must not draw on any privileged information available to him from his time in ministerial office.
Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
"For two years from your last day in ministerial office, your role with Goldman Sachs Group Inc should be limited to providing advice on strategy, macroeconomic and geopolitical matters that do not conflict with your time as prime minister (including where you are working with parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients of Goldman Sachs)," the committee added.
It also stressed that the advice was not an "endorsement" of Sunak's new role but aimed at protecting the integrity of government.
The publication of the committee's decision coincided with Goldman Sachs issuing a statement welcoming the British Indian politician, who continues as a backbench Tory MP for Richmond and Northallerton.
"In his role, he will work with leaders across the firm to advise our clients globally on a range of important topics, sharing his unique perspectives and insights on the macroeconomic and geopolitical landscape. He will also spend time with our people around the world, contributing to our culture of ongoing learning and development," said Goldman Sachs chairman and CEO David Solomon.
Sunak previously worked at Goldman Sachs as a summer intern in Investment Banking in 2000 and later as an analyst between 2001 and 2004.
His political career began when he was elected Tory MP in 2015 and went on to be appointed a junior minister, then chancellor before becoming Britain's first prime minister of Indian heritage in October 2022.
(with inputs from PTI)
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A Post Office van parked outside the venue for the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry at Aldwych House on January 11, 2024 in London.
Public inquiry finds up to 13 suicides linked to wrongful Post Office prosecutions.
Horizon IT system faults led to false accusations, financial ruin, and imprisonment.
Sir Wyn Williams says Post Office maintained a “fiction” of accurate data despite known faults.
A PUBLIC inquiry has found that up to 13 people may have taken their own lives after being wrongly accused of financial misconduct by the Post Office, in what is now described as one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history.
The report, published on Tuesday (8), exposed the devastating impact of a faulty IT system and called for urgent compensation and sweeping reforms.
Led by Sir Wyn Williams, the public inquiry concluded that the Post Office and technology supplier Fujitsu were aware, or should have been aware, that the Horizon IT system used in branches was prone to errors.
Despite this, they insisted for years that the system was reliable, leading to the wrongful prosecution of around 1,000 subpostmasters between 2000 and 2013.
“I am satisfied from the evidence that I have heard that a number of senior, and not-so-senior employees of the Post Office knew or, at the very least should have known, that Legacy Horizon was capable of error,” Sir Wyn said. “Yet for all practical purposes, throughout the lifetime of Legacy Horizon, the Post Office maintained the fiction that its data was always accurate.”
He added, “Many thousands of people have suffered serious financial detriment. Many businesses and homes have been lost, bankruptcies have occurred, marriages and families have been wrecked. Tragically, I heard too of people whom it is said that they were driven to take their own lives.”
The report detailed how the faulty system, first rolled out in 1999, falsely showed cash shortfalls in branch accounts.
Subpostmasters were forced to pay back money they never took, faced criminal charges, and in many cases, imprisonment. The inquiry heard 17 first-hand accounts of suffering, from small financial losses to wrongful imprisonment and suicide.
Subpostmaster Martin Griffiths died after being wrongly accused of a shortfall in his accounts. After losing his job, he walked in front of a bus and died from his injuries at 59.
The inquiry found six former subpostmasters and seven others who were not postmasters had taken their own lives because of the ordeal.
At least 59 people considered suicide, and 10 attempted it, directly linking their distress to the Post Office’s actions and the faulty Horizon system, the report revealed.
Sir Wyn noted, “I received evidence from at least 59 persons who contemplated suicide at various points in time and who attributed this to their experiences with Horizon and/or the Post Office.”
According to the report, the suffering extended beyond those prosecuted. Families were torn apart, with many reporting mental health problems, relationship breakdowns, and financial ruin. Some children of affected families also suffered psychological harm, it said.
The report was scathing about the conduct of both the Post Office and Fujitsu.
It said, “A number of senior, and not-so-senior employees of the Post Office knew or, at the very least should have known, that Legacy Horizon was capable of error. Yet for all practical purposes, throughout the lifetime of Legacy Horizon, the Post Office maintained the fiction that its data was always accurate.”
Despite repeated warnings and evidence of faults, the Post Office continued to pursue subpostmasters, often after the reliability of the software had already been questioned. The inquiry described this as “wholly unacceptable behaviour” by both organisations.
Former Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells, who gave evidence to the inquiry, broke down in tears recalling the case of a subpostmaster who took his own life after being accused of a £39,000 shortfall.
Public anger over the scandal grew after the ITV drama, Mr Bates vs the Post Office, aired in 2024, leading to new laws exonerating those wrongly convicted. However, the inquiry found that the process of compensation has been slow and fraught with problems.
Fujitsu's European director Paul Patterson told a parliamentary committee later that the firm, which assisted the Post Office in prosecutions using flawed data from the software, was "truly sorry" for "this appalling miscarriage of justice".
Many of those involved are still battling for compensation.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said last month that 7,569 claims out of the 11,208 received had now been paid, leaving 3,709 still to be settled.
Alan Bates, a former subpostmaster who led the fight for justice, has said the compensation process has "turned into quasi-kangaroo courts".
Bates, who was awarded a knighthood by King Charles for his campaign to highlight the scandal, told the Sunday Times in May the DBT "sits in judgement of the claims and alters the goal posts as and when it chooses".
Post Office minister Gareth Thomas said last month the government had made it a priority to speed up the delivery of compensation since taking office in July 2024.
The inquiry has so far held 226 days of hearings and questioned 298 witnesses. The second volume of the final report, which will examine the role of the Post Office in greater detail, is expected in due course.
In the report, Sir Wyn has called for urgent action to ensure “full and fair” compensation, including free legal advice and support for family members. He recommended that compensation should match the highest civil court awards, and that the government, Post Office, and Fujitsu should agree on a programme of restorative justice. The report also calls for a permanent public body to be set up to handle redress for people wronged by public institutions.
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said, “I am committed to ensuring wronged subpostmasters are given full, fair, and prompt redress.”
The government has set a deadline of October 10, 2025, for written responses to the inquiry’s recommendations. By October 31, the Department for Business and Trade, Fujitsu, and the Post Office must publish a report on restorative justice plans.
The Post Office scandal has left a deep scar on British society as thousands of families across the country are awaiting justice. The inquiry’s findings and recommendations now put the onus on the government and the Post Office to finally deliver justice and closure to the thousands whose lives were shattered by the scandal.
Asian victims
Harjinder Butoy Harjinder Butoy bought the Forest Side Post Office in Sutton-in-Ashfield in 2004, investing his redundancy pay and a family loan. In 2007, an audit alleged a £200,000 shortfall. Despite a clean audit a week prior, Butoy was arrested, charged with theft, and convicted on 10 counts. He served 14 months in prison and lost his business, home, and reputation. The Post Office seized his assets, and his family faced bankruptcy. His wife and three children were forced to move in with relatives, enduring years of financial and emotional turmoil. Butoy, plagued by depression and unable to find work, saw his convictions quashed in 2021. He continues to seek justice for the ordeal, which left his family devastated and his life in ruins.
Parmod Kalia and Mahesh Kumar Kalia Parmod Kalia, a postmaster since 1990, was convicted of theft in 2001 after a Post Office investigation, receiving a six-month prison sentence. The conviction upended his family’s life: his wife and children struggled to keep their shop afloat, and his son Mahesh, then 17, was forced to abandon his dream of becoming a pharmacist to help the family. The trauma fractured relationships – Mahesh and his father were estranged for 17 years, with siblings moving away and parents separating. Kalia’s conviction was finally quashed in 2021.
Siema Kamran and Kamran Ashraf Siema Kamran and Kamran Ashraf bought a Hampstead Heath Post Office in 2001, but soon faced repeated, unexplained shortfalls. In 2003, an audit found a £25,000 deficit, leading to Siema’s suspension and both facing criminal charges. Kamran, advised to plead guilty, was sentenced to nine months in prison and ordered to pay compensation. The ordeal cost them their business, home, and community standing. Siema struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts, while Kamran developed post-traumatic stress disorder. Their marriage, though still intact, is described as “broken.” Both were ostracised in their community, and their financial losses were devastating. Kamran’s conviction was quashed in 2020, but the couple’s lives remain deeply affected.
(with inputs from agencies)
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The EA has begun conducting more compliance checks on high-usage industries
Spring 2025 was England’s driest and warmest in over 130 years
Reservoirs across England only 77% full, compared to 93% average
Environment Agency increases monitoring and drought planning
North-west England officially declared in drought
Water conservation measures stepped up ahead of summer
The UK government has increased efforts to manage water resources after confirming that England experienced its driest and warmest spring since 1893. The Environment Agency (EA) reported that reservoirs were on average only 77% full, significantly lower than the usual 93% for this time of year.
The announcement came after a National Drought Group meeting on Thursday, which reviewed the impact of continued dry weather on crops, canal navigation, and river flows. Poor grass growth and dry soil conditions were noted as threats to food production and livestock feed.
North-west enters drought as conditions persist
The EA confirmed that a drought has now been declared in north-west England, despite rainfall at the beginning of June. Other regions including Yorkshire, the East and West Midlands, and northeast England are also experiencing prolonged dry spells.
Helen Wakeham, EA director of water and chair of the drought group, said:
“It’s been the driest spring since 1893, and we need to be prepared for more summer droughts as our climate changes.”
She urged the public to use water responsibly, emphasising the importance of conservation throughout the summer.
Water firms outline conservation strategies
Water companies presented updated drought plans during the meeting, including accelerated leak repairs and improved customer communication. The Environment Agency said some may need to introduce further restrictions in the absence of substantial rainfall.
While no national measures are in place yet, local curbs are being prepared. A Yorkshire water hosepipe ban is among the restrictions under consideration if conditions worsen in the coming weeks.
The EA has begun conducting more compliance checks on high-usage industries and supporting farmers in managing their water needs.