Manchester: Virgin Atlantic Route News & Base Updates

[David_itl]

news for summer 2021.....

Delhi is year-round operation, 3 weekly A330-200
Los Angeles stays 3 weekly but goes to A330-300


https://www.routesonline.com/news/3...lantic-s21-preliminary-changes-as-of-03may20/

 

[paully]

You`ve got to love their optimism

 

[mullion]

But many airlines are coming out with 2021 programmes

 

[Scottie Dog]

You have to plan ahead in anticipation of operating your flights. I just hope, as I'm sure you all do, that VS are still here after this summer.

 

[Jerry]

Possibly an extra based A330 next summer.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1257587112121155584

 

[Statto]

You‘ve got to admire the optimism

 

[mullion]

You have to put all your plans in as have Jet2 and Easyjet for 2021, no point in just leaving it and then panicking at last moment
If things change they just change the plans

 

[Statto]

Quite true. But to the best of my knowledge, those two operators entered the crisis in a much healthier financial position than Virgin. I don’t disagree that they have to plan as if they will be around next year, otherwise it’s a self fulfilling prophecy. But let’s not be under illusions that it is very optimistic to assume they’ll still be around in their current shape once we come out this.

 

[marni1971]

I take It we have now seen the news about VS at Gatwick and the 747s.

 

[Land23R]

The Sky News report says that VS are refocusing on Heathrow and Manchester Airports.
Not good news at all about the job losses but would be a great boost for MAN if this is the outcome - and yes, that's assuming of course they survive.

 

[Rob c DSA]

The Sky News report says that VS are refocusing on Heathrow and Manchester Airports.
Not good news at all about the job losses but would be a great boost for MAN if this is the outcome - and yes, that's assuming of course they survive.

Good news for Manchester and the North of England as long as Virgin pull through the needs it however the sorry tale at Gatwick could be a very sad affair

 

[David_itl]

LAS is going to be A333s next summer on all services.

Long-term, I expect the makeup of a MAN base to be 6 A339s and 2 A350s (I imagine MAN to be the notional A339 base with the A350s to be rotated though ATL/JFK as they will be LHR based)

 

[BlueManc]

In an instance, Gatwick has lost all (?) it's West Indies flights with BA (not confirmed yet) and Virgin consolidating to Heathrow!

The VS network was Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Montego Bay, Tobago, Orlando and JFK.

I think we already have 5 of the 7 747s on the deck here. Not quite Victorville but TCX A330s, VIR 747s and TOM 737MAX...

It's quite unbelievable. Happy New Year....

 

[Coathanger16]

From the BBC article:

Virgin Atlantic also said it will move its flying programme from Gatwick to Heathrow. It said it intended to keep its slots at Gatwick "so it can return in line with customer demand".

A bit of hope in an otherwise bleak time.

The 747's and A330-200s were meant to be leaving the fleet anyway. Sounds like Virgin have just brought that forward to save costs over the next few years.

Coronavirus: Virgin Atlantic to cut 3,000 jobs and quit Gatwick

The airline will axe a third of its workforce in response to the "severe impact" of coronavirus.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[David_itl]

Tha A3332s were brought in during 2018 on 4 year leases weren't they, so that bit of the fleet is leaving as expected. The shocker is all the 747s going

One thing that makes me wonder about is the non-LHR/MAN operations given the press release announcing the (temporary) closure of the LGW base makes no mention of them.

 

[mullion]

I thought the B747 only had another year to go go anyway

 

[Scottie Dog]

From today's Travel Trade Gazette:

Virgin Atlantic will put its summer 2021 flying programme on sale this Saturday.


The services will operate from Heathrow, Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast.

The airline said "as countries start to lift travel restrictions and demand for travel begins to return" it expects to steadily increase passenger flying in the second half of this year, with a further, gradual recovery through 2021.

For summer next year, Virgin Atlantic intends to fly to 24 destinations on a fleet of wide-body, twin-engine aircraft comprising of A330-300s, 787-9s, A350-1000s, as well as A330-200s before they retire in early 2022 as planned.

Juha Jarvinen, chief commercial officer at Virgin Atlantic, said: "As the Covid-19 crisis stabilises and demand gradually returns, we are looking forward to welcoming our customers back and flying them safely to their favourite destinations.

"We have taken the opportunity to pause, reflect and reshape our 2021 flying programme looking at efficiencies in our fleet and connectivity across our network, to ensure it is fit for the future, flying to the destinations we know our customers love to fly.

"We’re delighted that our popular Tel Aviv service, which launched in September 2019, will now increase to double daily, while regional flying from Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast will continue to play an important part in offering choice to customers and connecting UK travellers to Orlando, Barbados, Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles."

Virgin Atlantic’s summer schedule begins on 28 March 2021.

 

[IanFarquharson]

Delhi not happening then ?

 

[Jerry]

Delhi not happening then ?

Not for summer 2021 at least.

 

[gulftraveller]

As noted above, routesonline has listed Delhi as year round from March 2021. No word on Q4 2020.