I also recollect Branson talking in the early 2000s of them operating 5 daily LHR-MAN services
I well recollect Virgin expressing interest in GLA-JFK if BA were ever to pull off, got a lot of column inches. Still waiting.
In all seriousness though, they have added 2 A330-300s to the beach fleet this year and are
claiming the following :
The great Virgin A330 debacle 2011
G-VSXY and G-VKSS delivered without Upper Class due massive cock up, into service on MAN / LGW / GLA-MCO.
G-VLUV and G-VGEM not delivered and currently on last minute lease to Air China, both are
expected back summer 2012.
G-VINE stored all white for the whole summer, just delivered to LGW.
They have
five more due next summer. So Virgin announce seven more flights per week out of LHR and yet are
expecting to take delivery of
EIGHT new A330s before the next twelve months are out?
Factor in
ONE B744 at at time out of commision for refit and the fact that all the A343s that are going have gone, and things clearly are not adding up.