[Anonymous]

[SteveJohnsonIn0z]

“Virgin Atlantic CEO: we’ll replace BMI flights from London Heathrow” says Australian Business Traveller!

http://www.ausbt.com.au/virgin-atlantic-ceo-we-will-replace-bmi-from-london-heathrow

“Virgin Atlantic will start its own flights to Europe, Middle East and Russia from London’s Heathrow airport, as well as domestic services within the UK, to replace flights from previous partner BMI which was bought by British Airways’ parent company IAG earlier this year.”

“CEO Steve Ridgway confirmed his airline’s plans to Australian Business Traveller as we travelled on the airline’s newest Airbus A330 plane, adding that: “We will operate narrowbodies on those routes, absolutely. The choice there is Boeings or Airbuses — A320s or 737s.”

[VintageKrug]

What a load of tosh.

And why choose an Australian publication to release news about Europe…?

From the airline which was going to operate Scottish routes…was going to operate Concorde…was going to introduce double beds in Upper Class…the list goes on.

Won’t ever happen.

[Tete_de_cuvee]

I guess someone has removed the VS expansion pack from Krug’s simulator 😉

[ChrisBuda82]

VK has got a point do not see them openly biding for the Slots BA has to sell or they did not go for BMI reg that was making money.

[Vertrek]

Great news indeed.
Can’t wait to see Virgin Britain or Virgin Europe flying soon! And of course their entrance to an alliance!

The only problem is that LHR is already full, is it possible that they are shifting their operation to LGW instead?

[canucklad]

As a consumer great news if it ever happens !

Virgin will be afraid of losing alot of transfer market share if they don’t!

[LeTigre]

I think that after recent positive news for BA (except for the loss) it is fair that we acknowledge what VS are doing.

Recent developments include:
-Gatwick, Glasgow and Manchester fleets to be refitted before October
-Refreshed upper class suite
-5/6 A333 to be delivered this year, 2 more return from China airlines next year
-New routes to Vancouver and Mumbai (heard something about Beijing recently, Rio when there’s 787s)
-Potential for new services with ex-BMI slots
-Old aircraft to be retired
-Me joining! (by far the most important development)

[Hippocampus]

If Virgin does take up the domestic slots I suspect Virgin will pursue a “capital light” option of getting another airline to operate the flights under a Virgin brand.

Leasing aircraft and recruiting suitably qualified pilots is a significant investment.

Anyone entering the domestic market is going to struggle against the schedule and frequency of BA and the choice of London airports offered by BA.

[LuganoPirate]

I don’t these flights will materialise. Virgin used to operate several city pairs in Europe and those all stopped.

Believe it when I see it!

[Eastbourneguy]

Just another one of the bearded man publicity stunts

Can’t belive anything Virgin has to offer

[StephenLondon]

I, too, will join the crowd of doubting Thomases. VS tried Euro services in the past (Virgin Sun?) and then binned them, they tried again with Virgin Express, and that got canned. I cannot see them starting a whole new operation, when they have enough trouble operating the fleet they currently have. More PR stunts to get their names in the press. Ho hum.

As for a refreshed Upper Class…whatever happened to the £100 million all new suite they were to be unveiling?

[Tete_de_cuvee]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2144190/Hello-I-CAN-talk—Mobile-phone-use-planes-cleared-Virgin-Atlantic-planes.html

Methinks Business Travellers will be happy with this innovation from Virgin.

[Henkel.Trocken]

I too will believe this when it happens.

[Bullfrog]

‘More hot air” .. a carbon footprint almost as bad as ODreary .. O’Leary.

At its outset Virgin was in partnership with a Greek airline providing Virgin services to Athens.

I am sure Branson wishes he’d been as smart at Michael Bishop. A ‘put option’ to offload the remaining 51% of VS to SQ within 10 years of the original deal.

Sir Michael Bishop was a true genius when he got that clause into the sale with Lufthansa.

[Author]

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