ETW STAFF – Mumbai
Virgin Atlantic has outlined plans to launch a domestic flying programme within the UK from spring 2013. The airline will be adding 24 domestic flights a day within the UK to its existing long haul network that will strengthen connectivity for its Indian passengers from Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Punjab. The move will also create more than 150 new jobs in the UK.
Sir Richard Branson’s airline has confirmed that it will take up nine of the twelve daily pairs of Heathrow slots which British Airways has to give up to ensure that consumers again have an alternative on key routes previously competed by bmi. Virgin Atlantic will focus its operations on flights to and from Scotland. From April 2013, the airline will operate six round-trip flights a day between Heathrow and Edinburgh, with three daily round-trip flights between Heathrow and Aberdeen. The airline has also utilised three of its own Heathrow slot-pairs to complement the new Scottish routes with three daily round-trip services between Heathrow and Manchester from 31 March 2013.
The new schedule will suit Indian passengers as they can now continue to travel within the UK on their preferred airline within less than 2 hours of arriving at London Heathrow whilst benefitting from an equally convenient return journey.
