News

Virgin to launch Cancun route but will drop Kingston

17 Jun 2011 by BusinessTraveller

Virgin Atlantic is to join BA in offering direct flights to Cancun from London Gatwick, but Mexico’s gain is Jamaica’s loss as the carrier will drop flights to Kingston next March.

The carrier is to launch a twice-weekly service to Cancun on June 12, 2012, competing with BA’s thrice-weekly flights.

Virgin will operate the route with a B747 aircraft configured with economy, premium economy and Upper Class seating, compared to BA’s B777 service also offering a three-class World Traveller, World Traveller Plus and Club World product.

But ahead of the launch of the new route Virgin will cease flights to Kingston. In a statement the carrier said:

“We can confirm that we are to withdraw our twice weekly service from London to Kingston in April 2012. The new Air Jamaica flights from London from next year coupled with the soaring cost of fuel has made operating the route unsustainable. We will however be continuing with our twice weekly Montego Bay services.

“The London to Kingston service will continue to operate until 16 April 2012 with flights operating on Mondays and Thursdays from London Gatwick.”

The move will leave BA as the only carrier offering nonstop flights to the Jamaican capital, with a twice-weekly service from Gatwick using a B777 aircraft.

For more information visit virgin-atlantic.com, ba.com.

Report by Mark Caswell

Business Traveller will be publishing a detailed guide to Gatwick airport in its July / August 2011 issue. To subscribe click here.

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