Virgin Atlantic

[jfy1999]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1188437561443868672

 

[David_itl]

So... Barbados is 3 weekly next summer. The bigger picture is this:

" today, we are expanding on that with an extra 43,000 seats to key leisure destinations for Summer 2020, which is a clear sign of our ambition to offer increased choice to our customers travelling from the North West. "

Taken from today's essential online news provider, the St Lucia Times https://stluciatimes.com/virgin-atlantic-announces-increased-flights-to-barbados/

 

[lbaspotter]

More Long Haul expansion for Virgin at Manchester next summer 2020.

Virgin Atlantic will increase flights on 3 routes in Peak Summer 2020 from Manchester:

Barbados = Increases from 2x to 3x weekly
Las Vegas = Increases from 4x to 6x weekly
Orlando = Increases from 12x to 14x weekly

Sean M ✈ on Twitter

“Virgin Atlantic will increase flights on 3 routes in Peak Summer 2020 from Manchester: - Barbados goes from 2 to 3 weekly flights (+10k seats) - Las Vegas goes from 4 to 6 weekly flights (+10k seats) - Orlando goes from 12 to 14 weekly flights (+23k seats)”

t.co

 

[Vinny94]

Possible flights to India may happen in the future?

Flights going almost full, we are seeing healthy returns: Virgin Atlantic

It is capitalising on the growth in traffic, decline in capacity following closure of Jet Airways and its partnership with "big brother" Delta Airlines of the US

wap-business--standard-com.cdn.ampproject.org

The article states that:
"The airline is also exploring the option to connect Manchester with India."

The former jet airways service was doing quite well from Manchester until it sadly collapsed, so this looks like a good opportunity for Virgin Atlantic.

But as this is the third time they relaunched the LHR-BOM route, I'm hoping the route will be profitable from Manchester and doesn't get served for a short period of time.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Time for a little look at Virgin Atlantic's plans for S20

The table below is taken for the period 29th March - 24th October and therefore comprises 210 days.

An assumption must be made that not all flights operate for the whole of this period - hence the odd number of daily departure shown in the right-hand column.

I have also taken the liberty of including the Delta service that replaces Virgin on the Boston route.

 

[Llandudno]

I have a feeling LAS and BOS have errors in the movements front.

LAS has increased from 4 to 6 weekly in the Peak, and I'm not aware of any reductions elsewhere in the season, so should sit at least 10-15% up, rather than down 0.8%.

BOS should be up 133%, as it increases from 3 to 7 weekly over the same period as last year.

Other than that, thank you for taking the time to compile the list.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Interesting thoughts. As you know I can only go from the reports that mysteriously arrive in my "inbox".

I think it's the first time that I've actually seen this type of source file being produced by the originator.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Following a tweet by Airport news UK I have done a quick search and found initial schedules for VS in W20 as follows:

 

[David_itl]

Seasonal Delhi

https://twitter.com/x/status/1232251566238916608

 

[Llandudno]

https://airportrumours.blogspot.com/2020/02/virgin-adds-delhi.html

Manchester regains it’s India links.

 

[Rob c DSA]

Excellent news especially at a time the industry is being battered left right and centre

 

[BlueManc]

"Seasonal" as in winter only? Hopefully the loads will justify year round quickly.

 

[Scottie Dog]

An updated version of my Virgin long-haul timetable for Winter 2020 - now including Delhi

Amended due to error in arrival time of VS319

 

[Land23R]

Many thanks Scottie.

I know the future of flybe/Virgin Connect is still unclear but I don't understand the timings of those ATL and JFK flights as things stand.
Timings may of course change for next winter but the current domestic arrivals wave for flybe on weekdays shows:-
15.45 Inverness.
15.55 Belfast City
16.00 Aberdeen
16.05 Southampton
16.15 Edinburgh
16.15 Exeter

None of those would enable transfers to the 2 US flights, and only possibly Inverness & Belfast City for the Delhi if flybe moved to T2.
Not sure of the arrival times for flybe's European services - DUS, LYS, AMS, PAR, HAJ (are they all still operating?)

For the Delhi arrival at 12.10, that's quite a long connecting time for JFK and ATL (only the Fri arrival coincides with an ATL departure I think). The latest US arrival from the US is from ATL at11.25 which on a Saturday would mean a 5 hour wait for the Delhi.

Currently, the early wave of flybe arrivals does provide transfer options for the Virgin flights, albeit a long connecting time for JFK in some cases.

So, which other airlines does VS have a code-sharing agreement with or which allow for through ticketing, that could tie in with the late departures to JFK, ATL and DEL?

Or is it just a case of waiting to see the final picture?

 

[Scottie Dog]

Definitely a chase, in my view,of wait and see. Just look at all the gaps in those long-haul times.

 

[Comet]

An updated version of my Virgin long-haul timetable for Winter 2020 - now including Delhi

Scottie your chart above for Delhi shows the departure time from Delhi not arrival time in MAN

 

[Comet]

According to the Virgin Press release BGI will be three per week from January on a 747 on Monday Thursday and Saturday.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Thanks Comet for pointing out the error on the arrival time for VS319 - duely amended.

 

[LS@MAN]

I’m sure/hope discussions are going on behind closed doors ref the timings of domestic Flybe arrivals to coincide nicely with the VS long haul departures...top of the agenda I would like to think is Flybe over to the new pier 2 in the summer? But would that then mean AF/KL would also have to follow?

 

[David_itl]

A report from India... https://m.timesofindia.com/business...ter-from-october/amp_articleshow/74302386.cms

"Virgin Atlantic will offer connectivity to destinations such as Edinburgh and Belfast with Flybe, soon to be rebranded Virgin Connect. Virgin Atlantic flights from Delhi to Manchester will have also have connections to New York and Orlando, the airline said. "