We previously mentioned that Virgin Atlantic was seeking permits for more UK-India flights, and it looks like they’ve gotten some.

Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Airways has won the largest share of sought-after new rights to fly direct from Britain to India, allowing it to compete with British Airways on key routes.

Virgin Atlantic on Friday received the rights to operate 10 new weekly return flights between the two nations, while BA got seven and bmi four.  

However, Virgin got fewer Bombay routes than it wanted (and no Bangalore routes), and plans to appeal.

n’t enough. BA utterly dominates, carrying 75 percent of first and business class passengers flying directly between the UK and India," Branson said in a statement.

Also important to get routes into Bangalore if at all possible, especially as Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class and business class offerings will especially appeal to technology executives travelling to that city (considered the "Silicon Valley of India").