India has emerged as one of the Virgin Atlantic 's fastest-growing global markets and plays a pivotal role in the carrier's long-term international strategy. In an exclusive interview, Shivani Singh Deo, Country Manager – India, Virgin Atlantic discusses the rise of premium outbound travel, Bengaluru's growing importance as a global aviation and technology gateway, evolving traveller preferences, and Virgin Atlantic's expanding partnerships across India's travel trade. She shares insights into the airline's focus on delivering seamless premium experiences, navigating geopolitical disruptions, and strengthening connectivity between India, the UK, North America, and the wider global network. 

Travel Daily Media (TDM): India has become one of Virgin Atlantic’s fastest-growing markets outside the US. What key factors are driving this growth, and how significant is India in the airline’s long-term Asia strategy?

Shivani Singh Deo (SSD): India has become one of Virgin Atlantic’s most important growth markets, and that is being driven by a combination of strong economic fundamentals, a rising middle class, and increasing demand for premium international travel.

We are seeing particularly strong momentum from business travellers, premium leisure customers and VFR traffic, all supported by India’s status as a major global hub for technology, innovation and commerce. Our direct services from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, combined with seamless onward connectivity via London Heathrow, are well aligned to customer demand. The IndiGo partnership further strengthens this proposition by extending our reach across India and beyond the major metros.

India is not only a growth market in its own right, but also a strategically important market for building stronger connectivity across our wider global network. We continue to invest in the market with a clear long-term commitment to growth, premium service and customer relevance.

TDM: Bengaluru is now increasingly viewed as India’s global aviation and tech gateway. What strategic role does the city play in Virgin Atlantic’s India network expansion plans?

SSD: Bengaluru plays a central role in our India strategy. It is one of India’s most dynamic business cities, with a strong technology ecosystem, a globally connected customer base and growing demand for premium international travel. Our increased frequency to Bengaluru reflects that importance and strengthens our presence in South India. It gives customers greater flexibility and supports both business and leisure demand, while also reinforcing Virgin Atlantic’s position in one of India’s most commercially attractive markets.

Bengaluru complements our services from Delhi and Mumbai, giving us a strong network presence across India’s key aviation markets. It also helps us connect India’s technology and innovation hub to our wider transatlantic network via London Heathrow and our joint venture partnerships. That makes Bengaluru a highly strategic city for our long-term growth ambitions.

TDM: How does Virgin Atlantic view the evolution of premium outbound travel demand from India compared to other Asian markets?

SSD: The evolution of premium outbound travel demand from India is uniquely dynamic and demonstrates unparalleled growth compared to many other Asian markets, making it our fastest-growing market outside the United States. This surge is driven by India's robust economic fundamentals, a rapidly expanding and aspirational middle class, and an undeniable appetite for sophisticated, high-quality international travel experiences.

Unlike some Asian markets where premium demand is concentrated in specific segments, India's growth is remarkably broad-based, spanning business travellers from Bengaluru's tech hub, leisure travellers from Delhi and Mumbai, and a rising preference for premium cabins across demographics. Our customers are increasingly seeking thoughtful experiences, from our Upper-Class social spaces to innovations like free fleet-wide Starlink Wi-Fi and refurbished Clubhouses emphasising wellness and productivity. This evolution positions India not just as a regional growth story, but as a global benchmark for premium outbound travel demand, solidifying its critical importance within our global network and long-term Asia strategy.

TDM: What emerging traveller segments from India are showing the strongest growth for Virgin Atlantic — corporate, VFR, luxury leisure, student traffic, or premium SMEs?

SSD: We are seeing strong growth across several segments, which reflects the diversity and maturity of the India market. Corporate and premium SME travel remain particularly important, especially as India’s business centres continue to expand and more companies look for reliable, premium global connectivity. Luxury leisure is also growing strongly, supported by an aspirational customer base that is increasingly looking for premium travel to the UK, Europe and North America.

At the same time, VFR and student traffic continue to be important pillars of demand. These segments value connectivity, convenience and trusted service, which are areas where Virgin Atlantic remains highly relevant. Overall, we are seeing the strongest momentum in segments where customers are looking for both premium service and seamless global reach. We can share more specific data points where needed, but the broad theme is clear: India is delivering growth across multiple high-value traveller segments.

TDM: How is Virgin Atlantic strengthening partnerships with OTAs, consolidators, and TMCs across India?

SSD: Partnerships are central to our success in India, and we continue to invest in our relationships with trade partners to ensure we are reaching customers in the right way. Our approach combines strong account management, market-relevant product training and close collaboration on commercial opportunities. With OTAs, we focus on visibility, ease of booking and customer reach. With TMCs, we prioritise corporate travel solutions and strategic engagement. With consolidators, we work to ensure we remain visible in secondary markets and accessible to a wider trade audience.

We have also launched initiatives such as Sky High Club to further strengthen agent engagement and recognition. These partnerships help us expand our reach, improve product understanding and drive stronger commercial outcomes across India’s varied and fast-moving travel landscape.

TDM: What trends are shaping premium long-haul travel from India to the UK and North America in 2026?

SSD: For 2026, we're observing some very clear trends shaping premium long-haul travel from India to the UK and North America. There's this incredibly strong, broad-based demand coming from a thriving corporate sector, an aspirational middle class seeking luxury leisure, and steady VFR traffic.

What truly stands out is desire for seamless, digitally integrated journeys, travellers now expect a digital lifeline from take-off to touchdown, which our fleet-wide Starlink Wi-Fi and efficient connections via London Heathrow are designed to provide. This digital expectation goes together with a demand for personalised, high-quality experiences that span the entire journey.

From our refurbished Clubhouses offering wellness (like Somadomes) and productivity spaces, to the comfort of our premium cabins, customers are looking for a truly holistic, elevated experience. This evolving landscape clearly positions India as a powerhouse of discerning premium travellers who expect nothing less than the best.

TDM: How has the USA-Israel-Iran conflict impacted the airlines routes and functioning?

SSD: The conflict has created challenges for global aviation, particularly around airspace closures, route planning and fuel volatility. Like many airlines, we continue to monitor the situation closely and work with the relevant authorities to ensure safe and efficient operations.

Our priority remains the safety of our customers and crew. Where necessary, we adapt flight paths to ensure compliance with operational and safety requirements, while seeking to minimise disruption to the customer journey.

More broadly, events like this reinforce the importance of operational resilience, careful network planning and close coordination across the industry. Safety will always come first, and we remain focused on managing disruption responsibly and professionally.