Mumbai30 Nov 23 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from London
About London
London is recognised to be one of the most famous cities in the world, known to be the capital of the United Kingdom. It is also known to be one of the most expensive cities in the world. London is a city that has traversed through time to see history in the making. Much like New York City, London is also recognised as one of the biggest economic, cultural, political, education, finance, healthcare and more. London is also raved to host some of the biggest names in the education business.
Best time to visit London
London is known to be rather dreary with a dull climate that takes up most of the year. However, the spring season in London is lovely and something you'll definitely fancy. March through May are months where the city breathes air under the bright sun sans the clouds. The temperatures are between 10 degree Celsius to 17 degree Celsius, which makes for a perfect vacation. It does manage to grab the attention of potential tourists from within the UK as well as internationally. The late spring and summers in London especially get a lot of tourists. Not to mention how the city also thrives with amazing festivals such as Virgin Money London Marathon, Museums at Night State Opening of Parliament, London Coffee Festival, St Patrick's Day Festival and Parade, to name a few. This time in the city is simply super pleasant and something that many tourists would want to experience. You can further see many gardens and parks blossom while the summer makes its way within the city. Of course, it also comes at a rather harsh cost which will affect your pockets. The hotel prices in London during peak season is just as expensive. Thanks to the humongous crowd that the city witnesses, it is not surprising that the hotels and accommodations also spike up their charges.
Prior booking of hotels in London will help you deal with this conundrum. However, the packed streets and city bustle could be a tad bit annoying. Considering how London is a big city with streets always full of people, it is something you're going to have to adjust with. September to November also sees a considerable number of tourists in the city as the fall weather is just as pristine. The autumn foliage forms quite a scenery that travellers would appreciate. The hotel accommodations are also decently priced. You might even get cheap hotel rooms in London during this time. It is essential that no matter which season you choose to visit London, there is going to be some amount of rain. Basically, you will have to pack in such a way that you are able to show off your winter wardrobe and at the same time protect them from the rainy weather. Rains in London are notorious and have a mind of their own. It often starts showering when you least expect. Hence, an umbrella would be the best companion for you during your London trip.
Places to visit in London
As one of the biggest metropolitan cities in the world, London has far too many tourist attractions within the city. It does house the royals, after all. You can start your trip by checking out the famous British Museum, which is an archaeological treasure trove. You can further go ahead and visit the Tower of London, an important structure in the city. Learn about its historical significance because it is quite interesting. Without a doubt, the Buckingham Palace should be on your list as it is where the royals of the UK live. It is the London home of Queen Elizabeth II and has its gates open for tourists. Westminster Abbey is another beautiful and archaic church which is known for the weddings and coronations of the many royals of the UK. Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are posh and relaxed areas in the city where you can visit to relax. While you're here, do not miss the National Gallery, comprising of a labyrinth interior that would certainly intrigue you. The Tower Bridge has found itself in several movies by now and should be on your travel list too.
Things to do in London
The city has far too many places that would attract tourists for shopping. The Camden Market would be a good place to start the excursion. This market caters to over 200 stalls and has everything one looks for in London. The West End Theatre District is an astounding place that is quite the rendition of New York city's recognised Broadway. Several big production houses and artists flock over to put up their shows, and you should witness them all. Piccadilly Circus is another lively part of the city, basically the heart of London, where you can indulge in street shopping or bar hopping. You will be thoroughly entertained by the lights and life of the city. Speaking of which, pub crawls are a big thing that happens in London, something you should totally try as they are fun. Plus, it would be a great way to network with people and return home with some fine memories.
Food and Restaurants in London
London's staple food fish and chips, bangers and mash and mince meat pies. However, over the years, the city has managed to upscale its culinary establishments to encourage a plethora of global cuisine. The city now houses the classic British cuisine and the curry magic from the Indian kitchen. With so many choices to pick from, the city only gets better for a foodie. It is important that you know where you should go when in London. The best way to do that would be to opt for a food tour, which is available in the city. In London, high tea experiences are a big deal, and you should definitely get some of that action. The Langham, London, Claridge or even The Lanesborough, are some establishments that would give you the experience that you seek. Make sure to book prior reservations and dress up for the outing. If you've got enough pounds in your pockets and wish to further explore the upscale dining experience, you can view some of the city's Michelin-starred restaurants in the Clerkenwell neighbourhood. While you're on your food voyage, do not miss St. John, a place recognised for its ability to utilise every part of the meat.
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay also has a slew of restaurants and food establishments in the city that you could indulge in. Plus, Jamie Oliver also has his own set of restaurants within the city to upscale your dining experience. Other fancy locations in London include Sketch who have egg pods in place of traditional washroom stalls, The Attendant Cafe, Sushi Samba and Duck & Waffle, to name a few. To indulge in some lovely Indian cuisine, you can visit some of the curry houses located on Brick Lane. UK's pub culture is something you simply cannot miss. It defines the British lifestyle and is also one of the top attractions. You can either go to traditional pubs such as Magners or a little modern like Strongbow.
How to reach London (Transportation)
Flight connectivity to London from India is exemplary. There are regular direct flights as well as connecting flights reserved for London. Since the city witnesses a lot of tourists from India, provisions to service a regular flight to London has been made by various airlines. The best thing about flights to London from India is how they have the option of a direct flight, which reduces the duration of travel. British Airways is one such airline that has nonstop direct flights to London from cities in India, such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Chennai. Other airlines that fly to London from India are Turkish Airlines, IndiGo, Lufthansa, Emirates, Oman Air, Etihad Airways, Air France, Swiss, KLM Royal Dutch, to name a few. These airlines follow the international routes of the Middle East and Europe to reach London. Hence, their layovers and connecting flights are from cities such as Munich, Amsterdam, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Zurich, Muscat, Paris and more. The duration of a layover is not too much, which makes travelling easier, even if there are direct flights to London.
A nonstop flight to London from Mumbai takes approximately nine hours and ten minutes, barring the weather conditions and other delays. Flight tickets to London are quite cheap and affordable. Many airlines begin their flight tickets to London from INR 30,000. There is no major compromise in the flight duration as the maximum it can go up to is 13-14 hours. It is essential that you pick the right airlines to fly to London as the possibility of longer layovers is high. If you manage to get some online flight deals on tickets to London, your budget will further get a nice bonus. In fact, you can use this opportunity to book your hotels in London as well. It is a known fact that London accommodations are exorbitant, as is travelling within the city. To avoid splurging extra on hotel rooms in London, you can make hotel reservations ahead of time along with your flight tickets to London. That way, you will end up saving a major chunk of your money, which can be used to travel more within the city and to purchase loads of souvenirs.
About Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudi Arabian Airlines or more popularly known as Saudia, is the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia and is based out of Jeddah. The airline's main hub is at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. The secondary hubs for Saudi Arabian Airlines are in Riyadh and Damman's King Khalid International Airport and King Fahd International Airport, respectively. With respect to revenue, Saudi Arabian Airlines is the third-largest in the Middle East and falls right behind Emirates and Qatar Airways. The airline caters to a slew of domestic routes and international routes spread across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Much of the domestic and international charter flights are deployed and operated during the Ramadan period and the Hajj pilgrimage season. In 2012, Saudi Arabian Airlines joined the SkyTeam airline alliance and is also part of the Arab Air Carriers Organization. It is a non-profit non-political organization that comprises of airlines from 18 countries and has its headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon.
The airline came into existence in 1945 following the reception of a Douglas DC-3 as a present to King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud by the then US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This gave the kingdom a nudge to put their resources towards building their civil aviation. Saudia Arabian Airlines was also founded at the same time and fell directly under the government rule with all its controls handled by the Ministry of Defence. The airline's management contract was handed over to Trans World Airlines (TWA). The first airport for the airline's operations was in Kandara Airport, located close to Jeddah. However, the airport has been demolished. Its early operations consisted of flights heading from Lydda (present-day Israel) to accommodate transport for Hajj pilgrims to Jeddah. Following this, Saudi Arabian Airlines introduced various domestic route operations such as Jeddah-Riyadh-Hofuf-Dhahran. The airline also brought in delivery of two Boeing 720s and became the fourth Middle Eastern airline to operate a jet aircraft. In 1963, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia announced that the airline would become a registered company instead of complete independence.
Later, Saudi Arabian Airlines purchased DC-6s and Boeing 707s. The airline further extended its reach from domestic routes to international routes with connections to destinations such as London, Mumbai, Sharjah, Frankfurt, Tripoli, Geneva, Tehran, Rabat, Tunis and Khartoum. By the 1970s, the carrier changed its name from Saudi Arabian Airlines to Saudia. Further, the airline also included Jumbo Jets to its fleet that was leased from Middle East Airlines. These jet planes were mainly deployed for operations in the London sector. During the same period, Saudia also operated Special Flight Services (SFS) that were reserved for the royal family and Saudi Arabia's government agencies. Following this, the airline expanded its international route network by chartering services to Rome, Stockholm, Paris, Kano and Muscat. A joint service of Pan Am/Saudia started in 1979 between Dhahran and New York City. In the 1980s, Saudia accommodated Horizon Class, a business class service, to enhance its in-flight services. In 2016, the airline announced that they would be starting a low-cost carrier subsidiary going by the name Flyadeal. Launched under the Saudia Group's SV2020 Transformation Strategy, the airline began operations in 2017 with flight services to domestic and regional destinations.
Fleet size of Saudi Arabian Airlines
As of 2020, Saudia owns a fleet size of 142 aircraft that comprises mainly Airbus and Boeing. The airline plans to continue adding world-class aircraft to its fleet and reach the top position as the best airline in the Middle East. They have constantly been rooting to enhance and modernize their fleet. Thorough studies and comprehensive deductions are made before the airline invests in acquiring new aircraft. Not to mention how an outline of their requirements from the aircraft is also charted out to get a better understanding of which aircraft will do justice to Saudia's brand name. This is in accordance with the airline's operations for domestic routes, regional routes and international routes.
Currently, the airline has 46 Airbus A320-214s, 15 Airbus A321s, 32 Airbus A330-343s, 33 Boeing B777-368ERs and 16 Boeing B787s as part of its fleet. Out of these aircraft, the Boeing B777-368ER is their largest aircraft which accommodates about 413 seats, 383 catering to the economy class cabin while 30 for business class. Meanwhile, the Airbus A330-343 and Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner are the second largest with a seating capacity of 298 that are segregated strategically. 274 seats have been reserved for economy class cabin while 24 have been placed in the business class cabin.
Baggage allowance
Baggage allowance, as stated by Saudia, vary from the journey type and the cabin class. They mostly follow the standard protocols set by the global aviation industry, which requires passengers in the first and business class cabin to have baggage weighing not more than 32 kg. As for passengers travelling from economy and guest class, the weight of the baggage cannot exceed 23 kg. In case the passengers do end up breaking the rules of baggage allowance and carry the weight that exceeds the said numbers, the airline will levy tariffs in SAR, per kg. Saudia also expects the passengers to follow the baggage dimension rules. Each piece of baggage needs to be within the dimensions of a total of 158 cm. In case the dimension does exceed, it cannot go beyond 205 cm.
Failing to meet the criteria would result in the airline requesting the passenger to ship the baggage by cargo. The same rules apply for domestic route flights and international route flights of Saudia. Depending on the cabin class that the passengers travel by, the airline would accordingly allow pieces of baggage. Flights to Asia from Saudia have two pieces of baggage allowed for economy class with one hand baggage that cannot weigh more than 7 kg. Business and first class passengers are allowed to car two pieces of checked baggage and one hand baggage that cannot exceed the weight of 12 kg.
In-flight
Saudia's in-flight services are exceptional as they offer a slew of luxurious amenities and hospitality. The airline boasts pristine seating which comes with comfortable leather. The seats are equipped with personal entertainment systems, spacious legroom and other such facilities. There is a special Saudi magazine that passengers can find as part of the entertainment package. These are mostly available on medium and long-haul flights. Part of Saudia's in-flight services also includes seat upgrades that can be requested at the check-in or even onboard. The airline also offers in-flight meals and beverages. However, it is one of the few airlines in the world, not to serve alcohol and pork. As per the Islamic dietary laws and restrictions, alcohol and pork are considered to be omitted from the diet.
Hence, the airline adheres to the same beliefs and does not serve the two items on the flight. It does offer a menu that has a rich list of dishes from global cuisine. One can immerse themselves in the delicious food while enjoying some good entertainment content. Some of the select few aircraft in Saudia's fleet also offer WiFi and mobile network portability. Interestingly, the airline's fleet also has prayer areas along with a recorded prayer that is played before the flight's take-off.
Popular routes and top cities for Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudia has enabled a successful domestic route and international route of flight connectivity. They have an extensive range of destinations to cater to that include about 80 cities spread across Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Some of the international destinations include Vienna, Brussels, Hong Kong, Cairo, Addis Ababa, Paris, Frankfurt, Athens, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jakarta, Baghdad, Milan, Rome, Amman, Nairobi, Kuwait City, Kuala Lumpur, Rabat, Amsterdam, Lagos, Muscat, Lahore, Karachi, Doha, Singapore, Khartoum, Johannesburg, Madrid, Colombo, Geneva, Bangkok, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, London, Los Angeles, New York City and Washington DC. With hubs in Riyadh, Medina, Jeddah, Abha and Dammam, Saudia's domestic route connectivity is also quite strong as it connects to a vast number of cities within Saudi Arabia. These include cities such as Abha, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh, Tabuk, Najran, Neom, Yanbu, Rafha, Najran, Turaif, Wedhj and more. Further, the airline wishes to expand more of its destinations and add more cities to its list of connectivity.
Why travel from Saudi Arabian Airlines?
Saudia or Saudi Arabian Airlines is one of the best airlines as voted in the Middle East. It falls right behind Emirates and Qatar Airways to be the third-best in the aviation space of the Middle East. Much like the luxury standards set by the other two airlines, Saudia also meets with the same as it facilitates a slew of luxe in-flight services and convenience to the passengers. The airline is well-equipped with the best aircraft that have business class as well as economy class cabins. They recently introduced a mobile app to make travel procedures easier. Passengers can do their web check-ins from the app and also know more about the flight status. Further, there are provisions to book a Saudia flight on their app and other travel portals too, thanks to its popularity. Saudia's flight schedules have been mentioned on their website to help passengers pick the right option.
