Over the last few weeks, several unsuspecting Indian travelers on their way to the UK on EU carriers have been denied boarding for not holding a Schengen transit visa. Confused and somewhat angry passengers have taken to Twitter, looking for answers from airlines for the ordeal.
After Britain left the European Union in 2020, relations between both parties have been less than ideal. According to The Times of India, the requirement of a transit visa was put in effect from January 1st, 2021, but its effects are only being felt now that India has opened its doors for all international scheduled flights. This move has significantly altered the power dynamics on all India-UK routes, and as a result, some airlines have received a distinct advantage while others haven't been so fortunate. Let’s take a look at some of the winners and losers.
Advantage to Indian, British, and Gulf airlines
Thanks to the additional transit visa requirement, passengers traveling from India to the UK will be more inclined to choose nonstop flights to their destination. This way, travelers can bypass the need for a short Schengen visa and avoid a whole lot of hassle.
As it stands, only a few Indian and British airlines have nonstop routes between the two countries. These include Air India, Vistara, Virgin Atlantic, and British Airways. Luckily for passengers, connectivity isn’t an issue even when considering only direct flights, as these four airlines have flights to important Indian locations like Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, and Chennai.
In addition to direct flights, services with stopovers outside the EU are also expected to emerge as desirable options for passengers. Gulf airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, etc., have a strong presence in both countries. For this reason, Middle Eastern hubs like Dubai or Doha are likely to emerge as popular stopover points for Indians traveling to the UK.
The Times of India has reported that since Switzerland is not a member of the EU, it will not require transit visas from passengers going to the UK via Zurich. However, that seems unlikely as Switzerland is part of the Schengen areaagreement.
EU airlines and Indian passengers suffer
Indian, British, and Gulf airlines may seem more favorable to Indian travelers, but the same cannot be said about EU carriers like Lufthansa and Air France-KLM. Naturally, prospective travelers are expected to go with other alternatives which do not require tackling any additional red tape. To avoid this inherent disadvantage, EU carriers are requesting foreign governments to take up this matter with their EU counterparts.
Of course, the worst affected of all parties involved will be Indian passengers, who are likely to face higher fares to travel nonstop and avoid getting in line for a transit Schengen visa. With that being said, hopefully, the situation isn’t too bad as there are still plenty of direct and one-stop options available for travel from India to the UK.
Cre: Simple Flying
Nguyen Mai Huong-COMM
