LONDON- Amidst burgeoning demand within the robust Indian aviation sector, British carrier Virgin Atlantic (VS) announced Wednesday its plans to commence an additional daily flight linking Mumbai (BOM) and London (LHR) starting in October. Furthermore, the airline intends to expand its codeshare partnership with IndiGo (6E).
Virgin Atlantic operates two daily flights to London Heathrow from Delhi (DEL) and one each from Mumbai and Bengaluru (BLR). Notably, the London-Bengaluru services commenced on March 31.
Virgin Atlantic London-Mumbai Flight
Speaking at a media roundtable, Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss emphasized India’s significance as the airline’s third-largest market, trailing only North America and the Caribbean.
In 2025, Virgin Atlantic aims to provide over one million seats to India, reflecting a capacity surge of 350 percent since 2019. The airline allocates approximately 10 percent of its total capacity to India.
By the end of this year, the carrier is set to have a fleet comprising 45 aircraft, including both Boeing 787s and A350s.
Scheduled for launch in October 2024, subject to government approval under the enhanced bilateral flying rights, the airline will introduce its second daily direct service from London Heathrow (LHR) to Mumbai.
Weiss expressed the airline’s intention to broaden its codeshare partnership with IndiGo. Presently, the collaboration with IndiGo opens up 36 additional destinations for Virgin Atlantic passengers.
An airline can facilitate passenger bookings on partner carriers through codesharing, ensuring seamless travel to destinations where it doesn’t operate directly.
Furthermore, the British airline plans to quadruple the number of Indian cabin crew members this summer, with each of its flights from India staffed by four such crew members.
Strong Demand in India
Weiss emphasized that the challenging years brought on by the pandemic have actually reinforced the airline’s commitment to India more than any other market. He added that for every flight to and from India, approximately four Indian cabin crew members will be present.
“Next year marks 25 years of operations, and with our new daily service to Bengaluru and second daily service to Mumbai, it will be the first time that we’ll offer more than one million seats from London Heathrow,” Weiss remarked.
With five daily services, Virgin Atlantic Cargo aims to provide over 40 million kilograms of cargo space to and from India, representing a 336 percent increase in capacity compared to 2019.
The Indian market has experienced significant growth, characterized by seemingly endless demand. According to Weiss, ticket prices are currently lower than future projections, and there’s a positive outlook for the summer season with stable fares.
Virgin Atlantic currently sees approximately 35 percent of ticket sales in India compared to 55 percent in the UK. Weiss anticipates this figure to rise to 50 percent in India.
Regarding Virgin Atlantic’s air traffic, Weiss explained that roughly 80 percent comprises Origin & Destination travel, while the remaining 20 percent consists of onward journeys.
Chandru K Iyer, the British Deputy High Commissioner for Karnataka & Kerala, expressed optimism about the increasing number of Indian business travelers, tourists, and students heading to the UK. He highlighted that Virgin Atlantic’s presence would greatly benefit the southern region of India by providing additional air travel options.
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