Virgin Atlantic - the world's sexiest airline?

[hkskyline]

Virgin to offer Vancouver to London flights
CBC News
Posted: Nov 7, 2011 10:20 AM ET

Virgin Atlantic will soon fly between London and Vancouver, the first Canadian destinations for the London-based airline in more than a decade.

Beginning in May 2012, the London-based airline will offer four flights a week to London's Heathrow airport. Virgin says the flights could add as much as $54 million to Vancouver's tourism industry, by making the area accessible to new visitors who wouldn't otherwise consider going.

The figure is based on multiplying the number of new visitors the airline estimates will come to Vancouver by the average cost of a six-night stay in the city.

"Today's announcement by Virgin Atlantic, of four new weekly flights between London and Vancouver, is positive news for British Columbia's tourism industry," B.C. Premier Christy Clark said in a release.

Roughly 20,000 people fly between the United Kingdom and Canada every month during the busy summer flying season. The new Vancouver service could see that increase.

The new routes are timed to coincide with the 2012 London Olympics, which are set to take place next summer.

Virgin, a discount air carrier under Richard Branson's Virgin conglomerate was founded in 1984, and currently has 38 planes that fly between 10 U.S. cities and London. Virgin used to offer a service between Toronto and London more than a decade ago.

But a drastic decrease in air travel coupled with new regulations after the Sept 11. terrorist attacks in New York caused the line to cancel the service.

Tickets for Vancouver and London flights will be on sale beginning Dec. 1, 2011.

[cle]

Haha that maths is such rubbish. It assumes full planes and 6 nights in a hotel. Never mind that half the people will be staying with relatives or moving on from the city.

Good news though - wonder what Virgin's feed will be by then!

[everywhere]

Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., the U.K.'s number two long-haul carrier, may add more flights to China and South America.

The airline has wanted to start flights to Beijing "for quite some time" and it is also looking at other cities in China, Chief Executive Officer Steve Ridgway said in an interview today in Shanghai. He didn't name any specific South American destinations.


Virgin also expects to hear by year-end how many takeoff and landing slots it will get at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, following International Consolidated Airlines Group SA's acquisition of BMI in April.



The carrier has asked for 12 of the slots that IAG, the parent of British Airways, was ordered to give up as a condition for approval of the BMI deal.


"These slots are very important," Ridgway said in a Bloomberg TV interview. "It's tough because Heathrow is very full."



The carrier, which has also applied to start flights to Scotland, holds 3 percent of Heathrow's takeoff and landing pairs compared with IAG's 51 percent.


The start of Beijing flights will depend on the availability of Heathrow slots and the arrival of Boeing Co. 787s that would be used on the route, Ridgway said.



Virgin expects to start receiving its 16 on-order 787s in the second half of 2014. The carrier already flies to Shanghai and Hong Kong in Greater China.


Virgin may also "one day" join one of the three global airline alliances, Ridgway said. The airline last year began a review of strategic options after British Airways and American Airlines boosted cooperation on trans-Atlantic routes.

http://www.wcarn.com/cache/news/19/19769.html

[Vrooms]

Source:http://my.news.yahoo.com/virgin-atla...075319043.html

Virgin Atlantic to exit Malaysia's AirAsia X: report
AFP – Thu, Jun 28, 2012

British business magnate Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Airways is expected to sell its 10 percent stake in AirAsia X to existing shareholders for more than $21 million, a report said Thursday.

The move comes as Malaysia-based AirAsia X, one of the world's few long-haul budget carriers, prepares for listing at the end of this year.
"The stake (belonging to Virgin Atlantic) will be taken up by Aero Ventures and AirAsia on a pro rata basis," The Edge financial newspaper said.
AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman-Rani told AFP he was not aware of plans for Virgin to exit the firm.

"We can't say anything. We are not privy to any of the discussions," he said.
The Edge said that after the share sale, several individuals including Tony Fernandes who is group CEO of regional carrier AirAsia, together with business partner Kamarudin Meranum, will collectively hold 60 percent of AirAsia X.

The balance of 40 percent will be held by AirAsia, Japan's Orix and Bahrain-based Manara Consortium.

Virgin's involvement with AirAirAsia X when it launched in 2007 helped boost confidence in the airline at a time when the future did not look bright for long-haul budget carriers.

AirAsia X focuses on medium- and long-haul flights of more than four hours within Asia, while main carrier AirAsia operates shorter routes from its Kuala Lumpur hub.

AirAsia X recently ceased services to London, Paris, Delhi and Mumbai to cut costs and is concentrating on lucrative routes including those to Australia and China.

[Vrooms]

Virgin Atlantic's new ad campaign:

[Vrooms]

Source: http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/ne...ign=newsletter

Virgin set to launch Little Red in UK


Virgin has confirmed that its new domestic airline, set to launch at the end of the month, will be called Little Red.

The carrier will launch on March 31st in Manchester, on April 5th in Edinburgh and April 9th in Aberdeen.

Initially the airline will offer four daily round-trips between London Heathrow and Manchester, six daily round-trips to Edinburgh and three daily round-trips to Aberdeen.

Virgin hopes Little Red will grow to rival British Airways, providing short-haul connections for long-haul Virgin Atlantic routes.

Richard Branson, president, Virgin Atlantic, said: “Virgin Atlantic has been on an incredible journey since we started with a single plane 29 years ago.

”Little Red represents the next step on that journey as we go head to head with British Airways to provide domestic flights that deliver Virgin Atlantic’s rock and roll spirit as well as real value for money.

”The European Commission recognised that a British Airways monopoly would be undeniably bad for consumers and Virgin Atlantic Little Red will stop British Airways dominating routes and driving higher prices.”

Customers will be allowed 23kg luggage check-in, pre-assigned seats, complimentary snacks and drinks and hot breakfasts on early morning flights.

[Vrooms]

image hosted on flickr

Virgin atlantic Airbus320 by dav_min, on Flickr