Virgin
Virgin Atlantic Airways today announced its expansion plans for the next year which will see the launch of direct services from London to Dubai and toMontego Bay, Jamaica, together with extra service to Mumbai. This will bring the airline's total number of destinations to twenty-eight. by the summer 2006
Services between London Heathrow and Dubai launch in April 2006 and will be operated with Airbus A340-600 aircraft. The services between London Gatwick and Jamaica will operate twice a week on a Boeing 747-400 aircraft from July 2006. Services between Heathrow and Mumbai will increase from three a week to daily from December 2005 on an A340-300 aircraft.
Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic, said:
"I am delighted Virgin Atlantic is launching services to and from Dubai. I have visited Dubai several times in recent years and I’ve been bowled over with what it has to offer and staggered by the commitment to further development. Just like Virgin Atlantic, Dubai is committed to growth and we want to help it happen. It is the perfect holiday destination with all the key ingredients of sun, sea and sand guaranteed! It already offers some of the most stunning new hotels in the world and even more amazing leisure resorts and amenities are currently being built.
"This route is significant because it will be Virgin Atlantic's first destination in the Middle East. Dubai has established itself as the key travel hub of the region and is also a major business centre in its own right. It could offer many opportunities for other Virgin companies and I’m hoping Virgin Atlantic’s presence will be the platform for further expansion."
Flights to Dubai will start with four services per week and build to daily by mid Summer 2006, departing from Heathrow at 20:10 and arriving in Dubai International Airport at 06:20. Return flights depart at 15:30 and arrive into Heathrow at 20:00.
Virgin Atlantic Airways plans to launch services to Jamaica following successful bilateral air services talks earlier this month in Kingston between the UK and Jamaican governments. Subject to final approval from the Jamaican government Virgin Atlantic plans to launch two services a week between London Gatwick and Montego Bay. Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic, said:
"Virgin Atlantic has wanted to launch services between the UK and Jamaica for some time and this new deal has given us the opportunity to do so. From next summer, passengers travelling between the UK and Jamaica will benefit from the increased competition, which will ultimately lead to better value for money and quality of service for passengers travelling on a route which has been dominated by British Airways.
"Virgin Atlantic began services to the Caribbean in 1998 with flights to Barbados, St Lucia and Antigua. In 2003 we launched weekly services to Grenada and Tobago and this summer we will launch services to both Cuba and The Bahamas.
"Our Caribbean routes have proved to be extremely popular with our passengers and our sister company Virgin Holidays is now the biggest scheduled tour operator to the region. Montego Bay will be Virgin Atlantic's 28th route worldwide and its eighth Caribbean route.
"We would like to congratulate the British and Jamaican governments for reaching an agreement that allows this expansion of services to take place."
Amanda Wills, Managing Director of Virgin Holidays, commented:
"Virgin Holidays is the biggest UK tour operator to Jamaica, so this news will come with much delight for thousands of our holidaymakers in the UK. We already have a fantastic programme in Jamaica, however the addition of Virgin Atlantic's new service will give our customers even more choice and flexibility of travelling with an award-winning airline. I am delighted to announce that we will be launching a stand-alone Jamaica brochure to support this new route. The brochure will highlight our continued support to Virgin Atlantic and the Jamaican Government whilst offering the most exciting range of holidays in the market.
"Dubai also offers amazing opportunities for Virgin Holidays customers having seen growth of over 70% in the last year to this ever popular destination. Not only will it allow us to expand our programme even further in the Middle East, but it will also open a vast gateway to the whole of the Indian Ocean."
Virgin Atlantic will fly to Montego Bay on Mondays and Wednesdays. Flights will depart Gatwick at 09:00 and arrive at Montego Bay at 12:50. Return flights will depart Montego Bay at 15:50 and arrive at Gatwick at 06:40. The route will be operated by a Boeing 747-400 with a configuration of 14 Upper Class seats, 58 Premium Economy seats and 379 Economy seats.
Virgin Atlantic launched flights between Heathrow and Mumbai on 27 March. Following the recent bilateral agreement between the UK and Indian governments Virgin Atlantic has applied to increase these services from three per week to daily. All flights will depart Heathrow at 20:10 arriving Mumbai at 10:35 the following day. Flights depart Mumbai at 15:20 arriving at Heathrow at 20:00. Commenting on this increase Sir Richard Branson said:
"Our growth in India has been phenomenal this year, we were flying only three services per week as recently as January and we will finish the year with 14 per week! We are still looking at other destinations in India to add to out network in the future.?
All new flights to Dubai and Jamaica will be operated on aircraftby an Airbus A360-600 fitted with the Upper Class Suite.
Virgin's new Upper Class Suite, consists of a reclining leather seat for take off, a place to sit and eat a proper meal opposite your partner, the longest fully flat bed in the world with a proper mattress for sleeping on, a private onboard bar to drink at with your friends, a private massage room and four limousines per return trip - all at a price thousands of pounds less than BA’s First Class.