[cwoodward]

With Delta clearly running the show it looks as though Virgin will ignore perhaps (after perhaps the US) the worlds most lucrative travel market for Virgins demographic = ASIA. Delta as I see it does not know or have interest in Asia as a destination

It may take a while but it see the Delta as the eventual end for the Virgin brand.

With Virgin (permanently?) ignoring Asia as a destination does this spell an opportunity for a UK based airline to ether start or boost its Asia tourist aimed flights to higher end tourist destinations to pick-up the frustrated and significant Virgin tourist demographic.

[sparkyflier]

Hi Alex

You said that BA had failed on the Seoul route, but in reality it was cancelled along with many, many other routes when Covid hit, and did not return due to BA getting rid of far too many aircraft and crew IMO. All new routes such as KL, Durban, Osaka were lost as well as historic routes such as BKK, Abu Dhabi and Muscat as BA simply had to prioritise.

Having said that, on Seoul BA were up against world leading carriers Korean and Asiana and also used pretty horrendous slots (also IMO) to get there – no way would I have chosen BA if needing to go on that route.

cwoodward – I think I said earlier in this discussion that a few years ago I did wonder about the viability of the virgin brand and its existence. I do think joining Skyteam does make it more relevant and I hope Delta does not drag it away from such key markets as you suggest they may.
If PVG had been dropped I would have thought you were right, but hope in what will be announced in the coming months will give food for hope – maybe BLR, BKK, ICN etc.

However with these slots being made available by dropping Pakistan, given there is not much time to market any new route with these slots, my money for the moment is that VS will try to go to Cape Town year round, not just a winter route, and perhaps ply LHR-CPT using late evening slots 3-4 times a week.

We shall soon see and as VS join Skyteam next week guess there will be announcements then…

1 user thanked author for this post.

Auto Alpha

[AMcWhirter]

Yes I must have been too hasty with my comment regarding BA, sparkyflier.

A few years ago I had a column “Route of the Month” and I featured BA’s ICN service at time of launch.

At the time I remember writing about the competition BA would face as it was Oneworld whereas Korean Air was Skyteam and Asiana was Star.

Yes one might believe BA could compete on its own merits but ICN, like AMS, is a gateway for NE Asia and even Australasia and BA would be unable to capitalise on ‘beyond’ traffic.

[cwoodward]

BA cancelled(for the second time) the Seoul route along with several others on the 15 Dec 2020.
However I suspect that it was sometime for the chop in any case as the traffic on the route was poor.

[cwoodward]

sparkyflier – I agree re Cape Town and perhaps also Durban twice a week……..it is underserved and a vibrant destination. Africa could be the saving of Virgin brand but I fear the heavy internationally uneducated hand of Delta. Mixed mid market tourist and business destinations need a light touch that knows the market…..Delta is not that and IF they are driving the bus I fear a crash.

1 user thanked author for this post.

sparkyflier

[DavidSmith2]

[quote quote=1342581]Re Africa think Accra and Nairobi could be options,[/quote]

I would certainly welcome Virgin into Accra. Most of the daily BA flights are pretty full again now – having gone from the 747 to the A350. And there is already a Delta presence flying from Accra to New York so one imagines there is an opportunity to coordinate, maybe with onward flights to Jo’burg or Addis? KLM also fly into Accra though so they would presumably want to try and come up with an effective timetable.

[sparkyflier]

DavidSmith2 indeed an in addition AF also fly into ACC. But wonder if VS could complement their operations but with slightly different schedules. BA, KL and AF (and SN) all fly southbound in the afternoon, and overnight back northbound. But perhaps VS could fly overnight southbound and have an earlyish monring return flight, choreographed to connect with the VS flight to the US in the late afternoon – JFK, IAD, BOS, SFO and LAX come to mind.

And there is a brand awareness of VS in Accra having been there before, so think VS could start such a route with relatively short notice and in time for the Summer holiday traffic ex-Ghana.

Cannot see VS being attracted to a “complicated” schedule with a flight going LHR-ACC-Joburg, capturing that substantial regional demand, although commercially I think your idea has merit especially with SAA remaining far from what it used to be as a quality network airline.

[cwoodward]

I have read recently on a couple of reputable industry forums that there is an Asian buyer poised to make a move on SAA. I believe that I may know who it is (if it proves to be anyone) but time will tell…… or not.

[Auto Alpha]

Rumors afire among VS ground staff in India that VS might announce a third Indian destination.
Are these rumors true ?

[cwoodward]

It would seem to make sense.
Kolkata would look to be a good choice as it is a very vibrant tourist destination and the 3rd most visited in India
But are Delta aware of that ?

[AMcWhirter]

[postquote quote=1345935]

Bangalore ?

2 users thanked author for this post.

Auto Alpha, cwoodward

[sparkyflier]

The money has to be on Bangalore/Bengalaru if that rumour is true. But cwoodward has a point about Kolkata and indeed there would be no direct competition.

I think BLR has lower hanging and richer fruit however, especially with the right schedules.

And re cwoodward’s earlier postings re Africa, This could be a massive market for VS as BA has given up on it – only serving 4 countries in sub-Saharan Africa now (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and SA).

Destinations like Abidjan, Accra, Brazzaville/Kinshasa, Luanda, Entebbe, Kilimanjaro, Dar, Zanzibar, Nairobi, Lusaka etc could all be viable routes with the right routings/tags/triangles etc.

Luanda combined with FIH & maybe BZV could be massive money makers, especially with higher oil prices.

1 user thanked author for this post.

cwoodward

[Auto Alpha]

In 2019, a team from VS had visited BLR and had decided to start 3/4 weekly flights (unannounced).
But then, the rest is history.

I think it will be BLR because 6E (VS’ Codeshare partner) has a bigger hub in BLR than in CCU.

[BackOfThePlane]

I will eat several large hats if Virgin launched flights to Kolkata. Yes, there would be no direct competition but there is good reason for that.

As far as Africa is concerned, there are numerous romantic / exotic destinations that Virgin could fly to but won’t.

[onajetplane]

I wonder would they consider Riyadh? High paying pax, anytime I’ve taken BA it’s been full… Saudi really trying to open up with easier visas etc… Saudia being Skyteam… lots of potential for US transfer pax (particularly LAX)… and if I’m not mistaken, is Riyadh not one of the ex-BMI routes that gets a slot benefit for any new airline taking it on?

1 user thanked author for this post.

tomwjsimpson

[Author]

Posts