[sparkyflier]

So when it was announced VS would join Skyteam, and when it did, they promised “new routes”. Since then only Male has been announced as a standalone route. You could count Providenciales in Turks & Caicos but even that is only a stop en-route to Montego Bay (albeit a smart combination and use of a slot IMO).

They cancelled their Pakistan routes, and could have used those up for a new route but decided to just give those slots away to Saudia.

Despite the rumours of Bengalaru (Bangalore) this has still not yet happened, and it is getting quite late in the day to even launch that for the Winter timetable. Seoul has sort of been announced but not confirmed and is kind of hinging on the Korean/Asiana merger approval.

There is IMO no shortage of opportunities for VS to go to which are viable, yet it seems just does not have ambition or even imagination any more, or are simply continuing what they have done for decades now – whinging they do not have the slots, expect LHR or the government to “give” them slots, yet when they do have them they do nothing with them.

This discussion has shown a multitude of options which Virgin could ply. And as BA had to pull out of many routes due to a shortage of aircraft and crew (NOT because they were loss making) post Covid even more options.

As followers of this thread you will have seen that I was excited about them joining Skyteam and thought this could make them relevant again. Now I am not so sure.

1 user thanked author for this post.

cwoodward

[MarkivJ]

In short, VS waiting for word from their masters in ATL on next steps. Shame, such potential wasted.

[sparkyflier]

MarkivJ – Sad and very likely true. Such potential really wasted – especially now.

[cwoodward]

I have thought and posted the same for some time now.
Its a shame but probably someone will be emerge to once again provide the UK with a decent full service airline.

[Auto Alpha]

The BLR flights might be announced as early as late May or early June as per rumors here in Bengaluru.

[MarkivJ]

Landed in BLR on Sunday to a fully packed bursting at the seams BA flight. Surprisingly we got the retrofit 772 with the new club world suites. At immigration, the queue was split with NRIs carrying 50-50 British and American passports (NRI = non resident Indian).

BLR definitely could do with more UK connections, especially in light of LH also starting BLR-MUN in Nov, expanding BLR-germany services. My only caution to Vs would be around slot times. Their Mumbai service is catered to mostly UK based Indians and not convenient for USA connections. The BLR traffic is mostly American “desis” so they’ll need to have timings that are convenient for the said usa connections.

1 user thanked author for this post.

sparkyflier

[MarkivJ]

Auto Alpha wrote:

The BLR flights might be announced as early as late May or early June as per rumors here in Bengaluru.

Auto – Alpha: where are you hearing the said news? On TOI or papers, or news channels? Just curious.

[sparkyflier]

I get that to connect BLR to US routes the connections would need to be morning out from LHR and returning 2-4 in the morning to connect to some of VS’s routes. Personally I would prefer a night time flight out and day flight back – better IMO for both business and leisure travellers and better for Jetlag too. This would also differentiate them from BA and other carriers on that route.

I hope the rumour is true and there are also other routes being announced, and more codeshares.

One option could be, given that Latam is partner and also a member of the Delta family, if Latam could open a route to Bogota or Lima using their 787s and codeshare with VS. As DL is a shareholder in LA, they could give such a route a green light.

[MarcusGB]

Even now, Virgin A. has not fully joined Skyteam, in its FFP, teamed up with Delta, other Airlines shares only on Code shares?
Trying to book on line with any other Airline is impossible for reward seats apart from Economy.

It is not featured nor included with any Skyteam Clarity or postings of members…

They sneakily dropped redeemable flights on Air NZ.
It also carries a hefty £601 “Charge” on a miles/Points use for a long haul route, which must be the highest of any Airlines i have seen, to use yr now previous FF miles!
It sadly has lower expectations, mostly to Leisure destinations only, and certainly not fully integrated with Skyteam!

[Auto Alpha]

We are a group of AvGeek’s who have a Discord server exclusively for discussions BLR. Some of the members work at BLR Airport and some work at airlines. That is the source 😁

I think if VS launches BLR, it would be with the ex-Pakistan slots.

[AMcWhirter]

*Update*

Although not officially announced it appears Virgin Atlantic is relaunching two routes.

1. There will be a seasonal winter service to Dubai with four flights a week from London LHR. Services expected to commence end October.

2. Manchester-Las Vegas is planned as a summer route to launch in June 2024. Three flights a week with, hopefully, A350 aircraft.

Expect Mark Caswell to be reporting later when more details are known.

[MarkivJ]

DXB now confirmed on their social media handles. Didn’t they pull out of dxb years ago as it was a non profit making route given EK’s monopoly on it (and 3 daily BA’s as well)

[AMcWhirter]

MarkivJ wrote:

DXB now confirmed on their social media handles. Didn’t they pull out of dxb years ago as it was a non profit making route given EK’s monopoly on it (and 3 daily BA’s as well)

Indeed. VS did serve LHR-DXB in the past. Hence I used the word “relaunching” as, from experience, airline PR people like to claim a relaunch as a “new” route.

Besides the carriers you mention there is also Royal Brunei (it holds fifth-freedom rights DXB-LHR-DXB) and it can have the lowest fares on the route. It’s popular choice for ex-pats when they have to buy their own tickets.

VS will be selling the Dubai route through its holiday division. It’s quoting a price of £899 for 4 nights. Dubai is becoming a popular long-haul holiday destination for the UK market.

I would expect DXB-LHR to offer connection possibilities to VS/DL transatlantic flights.

1 user thanked author for this post.

MarkivJ

[AMcWhirter]

Hannah has written the piece.

It also includes the inter-Caribbean services which VS will operate togther with the main news about Dubai and Las Vegas.

Virgin Atlantic announces return to Dubai

[MarkivJ]

I read the article = thanks for publishing it.

Those flight times won’t be winning it any favours. A 4am arrival to DXB sounds dreadful. The return flight timings is also quite puzzling as a 5p arrival into LHR means several USA and Caribbean connections will be missed.

I give this 2 yrs max!

3 users thanked author for this post.

sparkyflier, onajetplane, cwoodward

[Author]

Posts