The India-London route airfares, which are hovering around Rs 17,000 to Rs 19,000, are likely to drop further by 10 per cent over three to four months. The reason: beginning October 30, British Airways and Jet are ramping up their flight frequencies on this route.

"Jet will commence Delhi-London-Delhi flights from October 30. On the same date, British Airways would launch a new five-time a week service from Bangalore to London Heathrow and double its frequencies from Mumbai to twice a day and increase its flights from Chennai to six a week," industry sources said.

Major players on the India-London route are Air India, Jet Airways [Get Quote], British Airways, bmi (British Midland) and Virgin Atlantic. Fares on the route had dropped to its current level from around Rs 21,000-26,000 in last summer.

It is expected to reduce by 10 per cent, according to a executive with SOTC, a leading tour operator.  Interestingly, UK's second-largest full service scheduled airline bmi would increase its frequency of Mumbai-London Heathrow service to a daily service from April 15, 2006.

The airline is currently operating four times a week to London from Mumbai. bmi, which is member of airline platform Star Alliance, would operate under a revise schedule from Mumbai to London from November one which would ensure better connectivity to other cities of UK and Europe. 

British Airways has also planned a further increase in its frequencies from New Delhi to London Heathrow to twice daily from Summer 2006.

"The capacities and connections are set to increase and airlines will introduce more promotional schemes on this route," the Sotc executive added.

bmi chief executive officer Nigel Turner said India-London would witness further fare rationalisation and the airline is equipped to absorb the fare drop.

A British Airways spokesperson said the airline would be introducing promotional schemes time to time according to the market demand.  An Air-India senior executive, however, said the promotional schemes are seasonal, adding "once the current trend of seats chasing passengers reverse, the fares are bound to increase."