Up to £100 off flights with Virgin Atlantic's Black Friday deal

Virgin Atlantic Black Friday deal

up to £100 off flights.

Virgin Atlantic have a special Black Friday deal of up to £100 off flights.

Dates: 25th November - 29th November 

Virgin Atlantic Black Friday – up to £100 off flights.

Cabin Classes:

Up to £20 off Economy Light, Classic and Delight Return Flights.

Up to £20 off Premium Return Flights. 

Up to £100 off Upper Class Return Flights.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Discounts verified: 18 November 2022. Available for new online bookings only made between 00:00 25 November 2022 and 23:59 28 November 2022 at www.virginatlantic.com, for travel up until 30 June 2023. Select dates may be excluded from the Black Friday event. Subject to limited availability and full terms and conditions – see below. 

Promotional fares are strictly subject to limited availability and are offered on a first come, first served basis. The number of seats available on each flight at the savings fare detailed above is restricted and it is possible that the seats allocated on a particular flight may be fully booked, even though seats are still available in other booking classes. Some flights may have no availability on certain dates and popular dates (i.e. weekends, school and public holidays) will fill quickly. 

The fares detailed above are for travel from 01Dec22 with all travel complete by 30 JUN 23 

a) Round trips are permitted. 

b) Round trips where the destination of the outward sector and the departure point of the return sector differ are not permitted. 

c) One-way trips are not permitted. 

d) Trips including sectors on airlines other than Virgin Atlantic including codeshares are not permitted. 

E) Booking Classes: O, N, K & Z    

For all destinations a maximum and minimum stay policy applies. 

Stopovers and open-date returns are not permitted. 

Children (under 12) and infants (under 2) who require a seat pay 75% of the full adult fare. Alternatively, infants (under 2) who do not require a seat pay 10% of the full adult fare (exclusive of passenger taxes, fees, charges and carrier imposed surcharges). 

Once a booking has been confirmed: 

Cancellations, refunds and changes are based on our current flexible booking policy (found here https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/your-journey-with-us/no-change-fees-policy.html) 

Flying Club Points, bonus Points and tier points are available on selected flights. Please check at time of booking. 

Virgin Atlantic’s published Conditions of Carriage apply and are available at http://www.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/help-centre/conditions-of-carriage.html.

Virgin Atlantic reserves the right to (i) withdraw the promotion (ii) cancel or change the promotion, (iii) amend these terms and conditions at any time if circumstances make this necessary and without further notice. 

These Terms and Conditions are subject to English Law and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. 

For full terms and conditions please visit https://www.virginatlantic.com.

Virgin Atlantic Black Friday – up to £100 off flights.

Double celebrations for Virgin Atlantic.....New A330neo and new route.....

Sir Richard Branson was on Virgin Atlantic's inaugural A330neo flight from Heathrow to Tampa Bay on Wednesday 2nd November. The flight was also welcomed by the Mayor of Tampa Jane Castor and CEO of Tampa Airport Joe Lopano, alongside representatives from Visit Tampa Bay and Visit St Pete Clearwater, marking the region's first-ever direct services to London Heathrow. 

Photo Virgin Atlantic

First ever route between London Heathrow and Tampa Bay touched down on Wednesday 2nd November 

The four weekly service will increase to daily from 28 November.

Virgin Atlantic's brand-new plane, the A330neo will operate the route, boasting new Upper Class cabin and first ever Retreat Suite.

The new Airbus A330neo, named Billie Holiday, flew over a delegation of VIPs, including the airline's CEO Shai Weiss. On board, guests were treated to an array of the region's famous cuisine including Cuban sandwiches, key lime pies and Two Tribes Floridian beers. In a nod to the city's world-class sports teams, Sir Richard Branson and Shai Weiss donned the sports jerseys of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, as they posed for photographs alongside the airline's world-famous cabin crew.

The new year-round Florida service will initially fly four times a week before increasing to daily from 28th November, complementing the airline's flights to Miami and Orlando. This latest addition follows the airline's launch of direct flights between London and Austin, Texas in May 2022, cementing the USA as Virgin Atlantic's heartland. The airline's expanded joint venture with Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM means customers across the US and Europe will be able to connect seamlessly onto the new service via Heathrow.

Photo Virgin Atlantic

Tampa Bay will be one of the first destinations to experience Virgin Atlantic's brand-new Airbus A330neo which is designed to provide a premium, personalised experience for every single customer. The airline's Upper Class cabin boasts a brand new seat, evolution of its iconic social space and the unveiling of The Retreat Suite, the most spacious suite in Virgin Atlantic's history.

Sir Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic and Founder of Virgin Group said:  "We have double the reasons to celebrate today as we fly our brand-new plane into our latest destination – Tampa Bay. I can't think of a better way to mark our arrival into this incredible region than by giving passengers the best start to their journeys on our new A330neo.

"Tampa Bay has it all; a year-round warm climate, vibrant nightlife, endless attractions and of course some of the world's best beaches in St Pete and Clearwater. Combined with its emerging entrepreneurial mindset, the region simply makes sense for Virgin Atlantic and I can't wait for our customers to experience all it has to offer."

Virgin extends relationship with Discover the World to reach the markets of Croatia and Serbia.....

Virgin Atlantic, the UK carrier, will work with trade partners to grow opportunities, especially on its extensive USA services via LHR for the markets of Croatia and Serbia. Focusing on opportunities with interline carriers Air Serbia and Croatia Airlines, the Discover the World West Balkans team will be working with trade partners to open these opportunities and highlight why flying on Virgin Atlantic will be beneficial for both consumer and trade partners.

Discover the World has earned a reputation as an innovative global sales representation leader in the travel industry through a worldwide network of 85 offices in more than 60 countries. 

 Aiden Walsh, Head of Airline Partnerships and Development for Discover the World commented, "We have been working with the Virgin Atlantic team for some time to focus on incremental opportunities across Europe and where we can see the growth potential into Virgin's extensive network especially to North America. Croatia and Serbia are both underserved with direct connections to North America. Our focus is to maximise the interline partnerships Virgin Atlantic have in place and work our strong trade relationships. We look forward to getting started."

John Price, Account Manager European Sales commented "I am delighted to work with Discover the World in Serbia and Croatia. Setting up a sales team with Discover in these countries positions us nicely to be able to highlight the excellent connectivity which exists already today and build us strong relationships with trade partners. I am excited to continue and evolve our partnership with Discover and look forward to meeting many new trade partners in the coming months."

Virgin Atlantic takes delivery of its first A330neo

Virgin Atlantic has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330neo aircraft leased from Air Lease Corporation. The A330neo will play a crucial role in the company’s fleet transformation and also marks the 50th Airbus aircraft for the UK-based airline.

Virgin Atlantic will become the first operator of the type in the UK, and has ordered 13 A330neo aircraft (six on lease from ALC) with an intention to expand the fleet to 16 eventually.

The A330 Family is the most popular widebody aircraft ever in terms of customers and routes, while the A330neo’s flexibility in the mid-to-long-range market is unrivalled. The A330neo, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, brings double-digit lower operating costs per seat and has 25 percent less fuel burn and carbon emissions compared to previous generation competitor aircraft.

It affords Virgin Atlantic A330-A350 fleet commonality for its pilots and a seamless passenger experience, as Virgin Atlantic already operates nine state-of-the-art A350-1000 aircraft.

The A330neo features the award-winning Airspace cabin, providing passengers with a new level of comfort, ambience and design. This includes offering more personal space, larger overhead bins, a new lighting system and the ability to offer the latest in-flight entertainment systems and full connectivity.

As with all Airbus aircraft, the A330neo also features a state-of-the-art cabin air system ensuring a clean and safe environment during the flight. The aircraft is configured to accommodate 262 passengers in three classes including 32 upper-class seats featuring privacy doors and two of the carrier's new Retreat Suites.

Benefitting from the highest bypass ratio of any Trent engine, the Trent 7000 offers significant fuel-burn improvement per seat compared to its predecessor and will significantly reduce aircraft noise. It is certified to operate on a 50 percent blend of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs); the aircraft’s delivery flight from Toulouse to London Heathrow flew with a 35 percent SAF blend.

Virgin to drop Hong kong route....

After nearly three decades of service, Virgin Atlantic is dropping its once prestigious route from London to Hong Kong. In recent times the service had been badly hit by the restrictions imposed by authorities after the coronavirus pandemic and the closure of Russian airspace has also had a major impact on the viability of operations, adding more than an hour to flying times. 

The airline is also said to be closing its offices in the Chinese city with the loss of 46 or so jobs. In a statement, the airline said "After careful consideration, we've taken the difficult decision to suspend our London Heathrow – Hong Kong services and close our Hong Kong office, after almost 30 years of proudly serving this Asian hub city,"

"Significant operational complexities due to the ongoing Russian airspace closure have contributed to the commercial decision not to resume flights in March 2023 as planned, which have already been paused since December 2021,"

Virgin Atlantic drops uniform rules......

Virgin Atlantic has launched its updated gender identity policy, giving its crew, pilots, and ground team the option to choose which of the iconic uniforms, designed by Vivienne Westwood, best represents them – no matter their gender, gender identity, or gender expression.

Reflecting the diversity of the workforce and in a move that cements its position as the most inclusive airline in the skies, Virgin Atlantic will offer its people a fluid approach to its red and burgundy uniforms, meaning LGBTQ+ colleagues will be able to choose either the red or the burgundy uniform, depending on which best reflects themselves.

The announcement is part of an ongoing drive to champion the individuality of its people and customers and is complemented by the roll out of optional pronoun badges for all its people and those traveling with the airline. This move enables everyone to clearly communicate and be addressed by their pronouns. The badges will be available to teams and customers from today and customers simply need to ask for their preferred badge at the check in desk or in the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse.

Virgin Atlantic has also updated its ticketing systems to allow for those who hold passports with gender neutral gender markers to select 'U' or 'X' gender codes on their booking as well as the gender-neutral title, 'Mx.' In lieu of passports with gender neutral gender markers being available for all, Virgin Atlantic is implementing a longer-term plan to amend communication preferences to ensure customers are addressed by their preferred pronouns across all touchpoints.

Virgin to join SkyTeam alliance....

Virgin Atlantic will soon be joining SkyTeam, an alliance of airlines working together to provide a more seamless travel experience,  at every step of the journey.

The UK's Virgin Atlantic, which is partly owned by U.S mega-carrier Delta is to join the global airline alliance SkyTeam, the two have announced today. 

Virgin Atlantic is set to become a member early next year and has long been expected, as the carrier is also closely linked in with existing members Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM on a transatlantic tie-up and are co-located at London Heathrow’s Terminal Three, alongside existing SkyTeam members Aeromexico and China Eastern, which should aid smooth airside transits and convenient connections. 

Virgin Atlantic customers will benefit from a consistent, seamless customer experience, across 1,000+ global destinations. They’ll also have more opportunities to earn and redeem points across member airlines and access to a network of 750+ airport lounges, spanning six continents.

The airline’s Flying Club members will enjoy significant benefits from the day of joining, with a global expansion of its loyalty offering. Virgin Atlantic Silver Card holders will be recognised as SkyTeam Elite Members, whilst the airline’s Gold Card members will become Elite Plus.  This recognition provides a raft of benefits, including priority check-in, baggage handling and boarding. Flying Club members will be able to take advantage of the benefits as soon as Virgin Atlantic officially enrols in SkyTeam, which is expected in early 2023.

Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, said: “At Virgin Atlantic, we strive to create thoughtful experiences that feel different for our customers and SkyTeam shares that customer-first ethos. 2022 marks the year Virgin Atlantic gets back to its best for our customers and people and joining SkyTeam is an important milestone. Our membership will allow us to enhance established relationships with our valued partners at Delta and Air France-KLM, as well as opening up opportunities to collaborate with new airlines. It will enable a seamless customer experience, with an expanded network and maximised loyalty benefits.”

Virgin Atlantic to start Tampa service from November.

Virgin Atlantic continues its transatlantic expansion with a new direct route from London Heathrow to Tampa, launching 3rd November 2022, further cementing the airline’s commitment to its Florida heartland.

The new year-round Florida service will initially fly four times a week before increasing to daily from 28th November, complementing the airline’s up to four daily flying to Orlando and double daily flying to Miami. This latest addition follows the airline’s launch of direct flights between London and Austin, Texas in May 2022.

Offering more than 190,000 seats each year, Virgin Atlantic, which is part-owned by Delta Air Lines, will be the only airline to directly connect the Tampa Bay region with London’s hub airport, London Heathrow. The new service will offer easy, seamless connections for customers travelling to and from Virgin Atlantic's rest of world destinations and our partners’ networks via London Heathrow.

 A booming city, Tampa has seen a 4.2% growth in population between 2018 and 2021 and has a catchment area of five million throughout the Tampa Bay and St Pete and Clearwater area. Key industries based in the region include financial services, healthcare and a burgeoning technology sector. The region is also the third fastest growing US metro area for entrepreneurs in 2021.   

Tampa, Florida’s third largest city is famed for its history and culture as well as being the home of the world famous Superbowl winners, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and ice hockey legends, the Tampa Bay Lightning. With year-round beautiful weather and stunning Gulf Coast beaches, Tampa is the perfect gateway to Florida’s top attractions with the popular theme parks of Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and Busch Gardens all within easy reach. To capitalise on the increasing leisure tourism, Virgin Atlantic Holidays will be boosting its holiday portfolio throughout the region offering a range of hotels and fly drive holidays.

 Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic commented: “We are delighted to continue our expansion in the US with this new daily service to Tampa, Florida offering even more choice for customers on both sides of the Atlantic to connect between the US and the UK.

 

Virgin Atlantic reveals new layers of style and service on its new Airbus A330neos

Virgin Atlantic has revealed its hotly anticipated Airbus A330neo for the first time, designed to provide a premium, personalised experience for every single customer.  The airline’s Upper Class cabin boasts a brand new seat, evolution of its iconic social space and the unveiling of The Retreat Suite, the most spacious suite in Virgin Atlantic’s history.

Throughout the aircraft, there will be more ways for customers to stay connected than ever before. Those travelling in Premium and Upper Class can take advantage of game-changing in-seat wireless charging, whilst customers in every cabin can enjoy a greater number of USB connections, Bluetooth-enabled entertainment systems and the airline’s fastest ever Wi-Fi. 

The Airbus A330-900neo will feature the latest generation Upper Class cabin, including its iconic social space and new innovation, The Retreat Suite

Increased connectivity with in-seat wireless charging, Bluetooth connectivity in all cabins and its fastest ever Wi-Fi

The new aircraft is crucial to the airline’s fleet transformation into the cleanest in the sky

Boston will be the A330neo’s first route.  

In 2019, Virgin Atlantic became the first UK airline to announce a firm order for up to 16 Airbus A330neos, reaffirming its commitment to flying the cleanest, greenest fleet in the sky.  Following a multi-billion-dollar investment in fleet transformation over the last decade, the airline operates a fleet with an average aircraft age of just under seven years and 68% next-generation aircraft. This increases to 100% next generation by the beginning of 2027.  This means Virgin Atlantic’s aircraft are equipped with the most efficient engines and state-of-the-art technology designed to save fuel and reduce emissions. This has so far delivered a 20 per cent reduction in fleet carbon emissions.  Over the next decade, we’ll save another 10 per cent in carbon emissions. The A330-900 neos are designed to be 11 per cent more fuel and carbon efficient than the A330-300 they’re directly replacing and will deliver a 50 per cent reduction in airport noise contour. 

Virgin Atlantic’s A330neo is expected to take off to Boston on its first customer flight in early October. Tickets will go on sale later this month. From September 2022, the airline will take delivery of three aircraft, with the remaining deliveries following between 2023 and 2026.

Upper Class

The Retreat Suite is a brand new innovation in Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class offering and consists of two exclusive suites at the front of the cabin.  The airline’s most spacious suite yet, comprising a 6ft7” direct seat to a fully flat bed and a 27” touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity and wireless charging. With each suite boasting an ottoman that doubles up as an extra seat, up to four people can comfortably dine, chat or play games in their own private social space.  Customers can enjoy an intimate dinner or settle in comfort to watch a film.

In addition to The Retreat Suite, the A330neo will offer 30 brand new Upper Class suites.  The fully forward-facing suite offers more space and storage alongside a fully closing privacy door. With a ‘do not disturb feature.  It has passenger-controlled mood lighting, a 17.3” touchscreen TV and even a mirror so customers can check they’re looking runway ready.

The airline’s award-winning social space, The Loft, remains a focal point of the cabin design as customers board the aircraft and is a core part of the Upper Class experience. In an evolution of design from the Airbus A350, it consists of space for eight people, with four comfortable seats, allowing guests to sit and chat or enjoy refreshments from the new self-service fridge and drinks dispenser.  Customers can also connect Bluetooth headphones to the dual panoramic 27” touchscreens or utilise the wireless charging facilities for their devices.

Premium

Stylish touches make big differences in Premium, in a cabin consisting of 46 seats on the A330neo.  Virgin Atlantic’s trademark burgundy Premium seats, with a 38” pitch remain, but they’re accompanied by calf rests in every seat and a 13.3” touchscreen with Bluetooth audio.  The airline is also offering its Premium customers an in-seat wireless charging pad.

Economy

Comfort and connection are the order of the day in the new Economy cabin, as customers are set to experience the largest ever economy screen at 13.3”, with an intuitive touchscreen and Bluetooth audio to connect headphones, with customers able to use their phone as a controller.  There’s also plenty of storage, plus AC power and USB ports to keep gadgets energised.  Customers have the choice between 28 Economy Delight seats, which offer an increased 34” seat pitch, or 156 Economy Classic seats, providing a 31” pitch.

Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented;  “When it comes to innovating for our customers, we never stand still.  Our desire to create memorable experiences means we’ll continue to imagine with fresh ideas. We care about every detail of the cabin design and every step of our customer’s journey. We’re proud to unveil our state-of-the-art A330neo and show the evolution of our customer experience, with each of our customers receiving a premium experience regardless of the cabin they travel in. They’ll be better connected with their fellow travellers and our amazing crew in the air, and with their friends and family on the ground.

“The A330neo plays a significant role in our multi-billion dollar fleet transformation, demonstrating our commitment to the planet. We know the most impactful thing we can do as an airline is to fly the cleanest, greenest, youngest fleet possible and the A330neo is integral to achieving this goal. It’s truly a plane for the future.”

Virgin Atlantic's in-house Design team worked in collaboration with Factorydesign to develop the Retreat Suite, Upper Class Suite and The Loft.

Virgin Atlantic is seeking to attract new talent into its engineering and maintenance teams

Virgin Atlantic is on the lookout for its next generation of expert engineers, as it launches its apprenticeship and graduate schemes for the first time in three years. 

In a move that signals the continuing growth of the aviation industry following the global pandemic, the airline is looking to recruit ten apprentice engineers and four graduate engineers, in a bid to attract fresh new talent into the industry.

The apprentice engineers will undertake a two-phased comprehensive programme spanning 24 months.  Phase one incorporates academic and hand skills training to City & Guilds Level III.  The new recruits will then follow a development phase which includes time spent at Resource Group’s training facility in the Cotswolds.  The final 14 months of the apprenticeship is spent gaining vital hands-on experience, working with the airline’s world-leading engineers across its Heathrow line and hangar maintenance facilities.   

The programme will culminate in an Engineering Technician Apprenticeship certificate along with the opportunity to apply for a permanent role with the airline. Virgin Atlantic anticipates the new apprentices will commence their role on the 3 October 2022. 

The airline is seeking a diverse range of applicants and is looking for candidates who have good manual dexterity, a strong sense of responsibility and the ability to work quickly and accurately. Other key attributes include being a team player, good written and spoken English and basic technical knowledge.

Virgin Atlantic Sale - Save £50 On Return Flights From the UK to Antigua

Virgin Atlantic has a short time special offer on flights from the UK to Antigua.

£50 Off Economy Flights from All UK Airports to Antigua (ANU)

Sale Start Date: 06.05.22

Sale End Date: 20.05.22

Flight Routes: All UK Airports to Antigua (ANU)

Cabin Classes: Economy Light, Classic and Delight

Sale prices are applicable for the following travel periods:

Applicable to all travel periods between 6 May 2022 and 30 April 2023.

Austin - Vibrant entertainment, art and culture, inspiring cuisine and stunning outdoor experiences all that and a whole lot more.

Austin   -  Vibrant entertainment, art and culture, inspiring cuisine and stunning outdoor experiences all that and a whole lot more. 

This Texas city seems to offer everything you could possibly want and then a good dollop of that something extra that makes it such an attractive and somewhat eccentric destination. There are tons of things to see and do in Austin, including funky record stores, loads of live music venues - for various tastes and an art scene that may surprise some. 

If you didn't know already, Austin is the state capital of Texas and is seen as a somewhat musical city with a rich heritage, after all its the place that gave the world Willie Nelson and Janis Joplin. It is also a little weird - No that's not an insult, the city puts a fair amount of effort to 'Keep Austin weird' a mantle the locals say with pride. You'll see more local stores here than pretty much anywhere in the U.S. from the airport to the outskirts. 

The mighty Colorado River flows right through the centre of Austin which adds a European flavour to the city but also gives the region a wonderful natural playground to enjoy during the long hot summer. Plus there are great lakes such as Travis and Austin and dozens of water holes that provide super places to play and cool down.

It might not be as well known as the Californian region of Silicon Valley, but Austin's own tech centre, 'Silicon Hills' is one of the fastest-growing high-tech centres in the U.S. with firms like Meta, Apple and Tesla all having big bases there. 

Fantastic Four.......

Four of the best live music venues in the city.....

1. Antone's

Antone’s, known as Austin’s “Home of the Blues,” is located on Fifth Street in the Downtown area and named after and founded by Clifford Antone. It has a rich and colourful history and in its previous locations it has played host to such stars like Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Fats Domino, James Brown, Ray Charles and so many others.   

2. The Elephant Room

This is one of the key destinations to any Jazz fan as it is home to great local jazz musicians and has such an intimate feel to it that visitors come back time after time.

3. Friends Bar

Nothing to do with the TV sit-com, but a wonderful place to go for good live blues and rock music, good food and of course a drink! It is right in the heart of the Sixth Street area and has built up a good reputation and is worthy of a place in this fantastic four.

4. Coconut Club

Located in the Warehouse District, this is the venue where all the 'cool cats' hang out and where the city's best DJs and performers strut their stuff.  You'll need to dress to impress to perhaps get the most out of your visit, but also enjoy views up top as it looks over the streets of the downtown area. 

See below for a special offer from Virgin Atlantic for flights to Austin from London Heathrow. 

No London Gatwick return for Virgin Atlantic as US capacity increases.

There will be no London Gatwick return from Virgin Atlantic, at least for the next two years the airline confirmed on Wednesday.

Virgin pulled out completely of the Sussex airport near the start of the pandemic to focus its operations on London Heathrow.  Now as the airline increases capacity on US routes as part of its development with major shareholder Delta, Virgin's CEO Shai Weiss says a Gatwick restart is off the table at least until the end of 2023. 

“We would like to think there is an opportunity for Gatwick, but it is not this year,” Weiss, who joined Virgin Atlantic as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in July 2014 from Virgin Management Ltd, said during a press conference.

Virgin Atlantic USA Homepage

“Heathrow is where our business hub is and this is where people want to fly and where you connect,” he said whilst also confirming Virgin had retained its slots at Gatwick.

Virgin Atlantic has recently been busy returning to an almost full pre-pandemic schedule from Heathrow as well as increasing capacity to the U.S.  From April the airline will add frequencies and reintroduce services to key US gateways, including a third daily service to Los Angeles will commence, serving the Californian city more than any other airline.  

Virgin Atlantic will operate Orlando flights from its four UK gateways of Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh and Belfast, resulting in more flights from the UK to the theme park capital of the world than any other carrier.  The airline has already added services to Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Washington and Atlanta.  In addition, Virgin Atlantic also recently announced it would begin a service to Austin, Texas from 25th May. 

Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented, “Following the relaxation of travel restrictions, we’ve seen demand increase to many of our global destinations, but particularly to our heartland in the USA. Our customers can’t wait to return."

Whilst ruling out an imminent Gatwick return to concentrating on Heathrow for its London operations, Weiss complained bitterly about the 56% increase in charges at Heathrow, saying it was “egregious” and warned passengers would fly via major hubs in Europe, such as Paris or Amsterdam.  "The 56% increase the CAA has given Heathrow is way, way too high. It’s unwarranted. The charges are egregious. The CAA’s job is to protect consumers.  - The decision to delay setting the charges till 2027 until after the summer as right. We’re making our case on behalf of consumers. We’ve not given up."

The boss of U.S. mega-carrier and Virgin's main shareholder, Delta agreed: “Heathrow is a very expensive airport.”  Ed Bastian added, “We’re an industry coming off a very difficult time. Charges seen as extreme are not helpful. Customers have choices. -  Are Heathrow’s charges deterring people from coming to London? Potentially.”

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Virgin Atlantic USA Homepage

Russia bans UK flights from its airspace after UK bans Russian carrier Aeroflot.

Flights from British airlines are now banned from flying into Russian airspace in retaliation of the UK ban on Aeroflot from landing in the UK.

Rosaviatsiya Russia's Federal Agency for Air Transport confirmed in a statement today that it was banning UK registered flights, aircraft owned, leased or operated by a person associated with the United Kingdom, from even crossing over its airspace as a direct response to the decision by the UK government yesterday to ban Aeroflot and other Russian airlines from British airspace. 

Ben Wallace, the UK's Defence Secretary said: "I think that's their retaliation for us yesterday banning Aeroflot from using and landing in the United Kingdom. That's their tit for tat response." 

British Airways has already axed its Moscow route, a spokesperson for the airline said "We have suspended our flights to Moscow and also the use of Russian airspace, following the confirmation of Russian government restrictions. We apologise for the inconvenience but this is clearly a matter beyond our control." IAG CEO Luis Gallego said "Following the UK government decision to ban Aeroflot from landing in the UK, we have taken the decision not use Russian airspace for overflights."

Other airlines have also taken action to avoid Russian airspace, a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson "On Thursday evening, we took the decision to start avoiding Russian airspace and our flight paths will continue to be adjusted for some Virgin Atlantic passenger services between the UK, Pakistan and India,"  

Turkish Airlines has cancelled its flights to Russia until Monday and are said to be considering a longer suspension depending on the situation.  

The ongoing crisis is also affecting other modes of transport, Viking Cruises announced today that it was cancelling all of its Kiev, Black Sea & Bucharest cruises this year. Other cruise firms are altering routes of some cruises and say they are monitoring the situation carefully. 

More top stories you might be interested in.....

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Air Lease Corporation leases two new Airbus A350-1000 jet to Virgin Atlantic as new $400 million investment confirmed

Air Lease Corporation has confirmed the long-term lease placements for two new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft to Virgin Atlantic.  The two new A350-1000s are scheduled to deliver to the airline in 2023 and 2024 from ALC’s orderbook with Airbus.   

“We are pleased to announce this placement of two new Airbus A350-1000s with Virgin Atlantic,” said Steven F. Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation.  “ALC’s long history with the airline has been focused on fleet transformation and modernization, and these two new aircraft will add to Virgin Atlantic’s growing A350 operations and commitment to sustainable travel.” 

Virgin Atlantic announces £400m investment from Virgin Group and Delta Air Lines

Virgin Atlantic confirmed this week a £400m new investment from shareholders, Virgin Group and Delta Air Lines. The investment positions Virgin Atlantic to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic in a strong financial position and with a bolstered balance sheet, ready to capitalise on market opportunities as demand returns. The airline anticipates a return to sustainable profitability from 2023, driven by a recovery in air travel demand and more than £300m of cost savings, already delivered.

Key Highlights:

£400m new investment from Virgin Group (51%) and Delta Air Lines (49%)

Creditors continue to support the airline with £200m reduction in cash burden through 2024

The airline continues to have the full support of credit card acquirers (Merchant Service Providers)

The airline to have fully financed new aircraft deliveries through Q2 2024, on track to reach a 100% next generation, fuel efficient fleet in early 2027, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable air travel

New investment to bolster Virgin Atlantic’s balance sheet, enhancing liquidity and allowing the Company to pay down debt

Virgin Atlantic is in a strong position to rapidly capitalise on opportunities as demand returns, and to withstand a further downturn in air travel

Since the beginning of the crisis, Virgin Atlantic has taken decisive action to reduce costs, preserve cash and raise capital. With the full support of its shareholders and creditors, the airline is positioned for recovery from the pandemic, bolstered by the opening of US borders to UK nationals on 8 November, as it benefits from pent up customer demand and robust trading for Easter and Summer 2022. 

Delta looking to cement global partner strategy

The U.S. mega-carrier, Delta Air Lines has confirmed it will be making further investments in Virgin Atlantic, Aeromexico and LATAM as these partner airlines transform their businesses to emerge from the global pandemic.

Prior to the pandemic, Delta was achieving record international growth attributed to a combination of organic growth and its global partner network. Over the past 10 years, Delta has built industry-leading partnerships with flagship airlines across Europe, Asia and Latin America. As international travel demand returns, the connectivity, relevance and breadth of Delta’s global network with its partners remains critical to continuing this success.

“These strategic investments in our partners will transform our ability to improve travel for our customers, enabling us to deliver a seamless travel experience alongside offering our customers an unrivalled network between North American and premier markets worldwide,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “The work each of our partners has done to strengthen their businesses for the future makes these partnerships even more valuable and creates a new era of international travel to benefit our customers, our employees and our investors as global travel rebounds in 2022 and beyond.”

In support of its global future, Delta is investing in Virgin Atlantic, Aeromexico and LATAM as each carrier emerges from restructuring or recapitalization. Upon completion of their respective processes, Delta is targeting a 20% equity stake in Aeromexico and a 10% equity stake in LATAM. In addition, Delta will maintain its 49% equity stake in Virgin Atlantic. The airline’s investment in these carriers will be approximately $1.2 billion.

With new widebody aircraft on the way, record hiring, and significant investments in international readiness, Delta is positioned to lead the industry through the ongoing recovery. Delta’s partnerships with Virgin Atlantic, Aeromexico and LATAM expand that growth potential, helping to fuel route additions, customer connectivity and associated job creation:

Aeromexico: The airlines’ existing Joint Cooperation Agreement (JCA) launched in 2017. Over the past four years, Delta and Aeromexico have built a leading trans-border network of more than 40 popular business and leisure routes from their main hubs and offering the most service in the largest New York and Los Angeles markets.

LATAM: Delta and LATAM’s trans-American Joint Venture Agreement will combine the carriers’ highly complementary route networks between North and South America. Following Chilean Court approval of the JV in October this year, Delta and LATAM expanded their existing codeshares to improve connectivity between North and South America.

Virgin Atlantic: Delta’s joint venture with Virgin Atlantic has, since 2013, solidified Delta’s position on key U.S.-U.K. routes including the leading business route New York-JFK to London Heathrow.  

“Throughout the pandemic, Delta has continued to invest in our future, including new aircraft orders, accelerating real estate projects and putting significant resources into health and safety measures to protect our employees and our customers,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Dan Janki.  “Similarly, investing in our partners now – even as we continue to navigate the pandemic – is the right choice to support Delta’s long-term strategy.”

There is no change to Delta’s investments in AFKL, Korean Air and China Eastern.

With a shared ethos of the highest levels of customer service, Delta is focused on delivering benefits for customers through initiatives including seamless technology, loyalty reciprocity and frictionless connectivity with its global partners.   Delta’s own international network combined with its partnerships creates an extensive global network and positions the airline to successfully capitalize on the re-opening of international markets, as well as anticipated growth into the future.   

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Aviation Leaders to Tackle CO2 Emission Challenge

Major Global Airlines Launch New Aviation Climate Taskforce (ACT) together with Boston Consulting Group

                                    Global airline leaders, including Air Canada, Air France-KLM, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Southwest Airlines Co., United Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic, together with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), announce the formation of the Aviation Climate Taskforce (ACT)–a new non-profit organization founded to accelerate breakthroughs in emerging technologies to decarbonize aviation.

While aviation currently only contributes around 2-3% on average of global carbon dioxide emissions annually, the number could rise to 20% by 2050 if no action is taken. Aviation is a hard-to-abate sector where dramatically reducing emissions is challenging, and breakthrough innovations are required to help the sector reach net zero.

ACT will stimulate innovation in the next generation of technologies. The majority of its focus will be on critical medium-term solutions, such as synthetic fuel and direct air capture. Over time, the portfolio will expand to include more near-term solutions, such as emerging bio-based Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) pathways, as well as long-term solutions, such as hydrogen technologies. ACT's mission will be supported by two pillars: an Innovation Network and a Collaboration Forum.

Virgin's Manchester to Montego Bay service to start in November.

Tickets are on sale now for the new service Virgin Atlantic will launch between Manchester, to Montego Bay in Jamaica in November.   

The airline resumed flying from Manchester on 7th August with flights to Barbados, and as travel restrictions around the world begin to relax, looks forward to restarting services to Orlando, Atlanta, New York and Islamabad over the coming months. The new Caribbean services to Montego Bay and Barbados aim to respond to the pent-up demand from consumers based in the northwest looking to head off on a relaxing holiday to a sunny destination.

Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented, “We’re thrilled to announce that we have added Jamaica to our portfolio of destinations flying from Manchester, our home in the north, along with increasing frequency to Barbados.

“We are seeing a real demand from our customers in the northwest for luxury holidays in the sun as they are keen to escape on their next adventure after a challenging year. Both Jamaica and Barbados offer the ultimate getaway for those looking to enjoy island life, from hiking incredible waterfalls, surfing at white sand beaches, exploring distinct local caves, to swimming with sea turtles, the tropical island’s offer something for everyone.

“We look forward to welcoming customers heading off on holiday or travelling to visit their loved ones back onboard.”

New seasonal winter service flying three times a week from Manchester Airport to Montego Bay launching on 6th November