Airlines create schedule to enhance customer choice, including new nonstop service between Portland and London.
ATLANTA and LONDON – Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic announced changes to their respective summer 2017 schedules to optimize their joint network between the United States and the United Kingdom. The move reflects the strong partnership between the two airlines, which is focused on offering customers more travel choices and flexibility.
The changes are as follows:
For Delta:
- A new four times a week Portland, Oregon to London Heathrow seasonal service will begin on May 26, 2017, the first between this U.S. West Coast city and London.
- Beginning March 26, 2017, the airline will add a second Detroit to London Heathrow service. This new flight replaces Virgin Atlantic's daily Detroit to London Heathrow service.
- The airline will fly a third Atlanta to London Heathrow frequency, taking over the second daily service currently operated by Virgin Atlantic, beginning May 25, 2017. Virgin Atlantic will continue to operate one daily Atlanta to London Heathrow service.
For Virgin Atlantic:
- Beginning March 26, 2017, the airline will start flying between Seattle and London Heathrow, replacing the daily service currently operated by Delta.
- A daily nonstop service between New York-JFK and Manchester will commence May 25, 2017 replacing the service currently operated by Delta. Delta will resume service for the winter 2017.
Erik Varwijk, Executive Vice President, Commercial, Virgin Atlantic said: “We are delighted to further optimize our joint services between the U.K. and the U.S. Our most fuel efficient Boeing 787-9 aircraft will add additional capacity to the successful Seattle route, enabling more customers to enjoy the Virgin Atlantic experience on this brand new aircraft. In Manchester, deploying our Airbus A330-300 aircraft on this route will allow us to further meet the growing demand from the Manchester market, now offering a total of six direct flights to the U.S. after the recently announced new services to Boston and San Francisco. The network changes highlight the strength and flexibility of our joint venture, allowing us to make smart decisions that ensure the right aircraft are on the right routes for our customers.”
Commenting on the changes, Dwight James, Delta’s Senior Vice President Trans-Atlantic said: “Adding a brand new service to Portland while increasing the scale of Delta’s reach across our Atlanta and Detroit hubs provides a comprehensive network of nonstop and connecting destinations for both Delta and Virgin customers. The flexibility to adjust our operations on routes between the U.K. and the U.S. is a solid reflection of the cohesive strategy we have across the trans-Atlantic. Since 2014, we have been building a partnership that is centered around the needs of our customers while providing network synergies for our airlines.”
Beginning March 26, 2017, the airlines’ joint summer 2017 schedule includes a total of 42 peak daily nonstop flights between the U.S. and the U.K. Of these, 28 flights will operate between London Heathrow and popular U.S. destinations such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta and Washington and 14 flights will operate between Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast, London Gatwick and Edinburgh to popular U.S. cities.
The joint venture partnership between Delta and Virgin Atlantic continues to grow, allowing both airlines’ customers to benefit from a high-quality and complementary travel experience with customer service being a key priority. In 2015, the JV connected almost 400,000 customers to over 200 destinations in the U.S., on over 550 routes.
Port of Seattle welcomes Virgin Atlantic to Sea-Tac Airport
The Port of Seattle welcomed yesterday’s announcement that Virgin Atlantic Airways will begin nonstop service from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to London-Heathrow using its most fuel-efficient Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Virgin Atlantic’s new service will replace the existing service offered by its joint venture partner Delta Air Lines beginning March 26, 2017.
“London is our largest international market and we are delighted to be giving passengers a new flight option with the prominent Virgin Atlantic brand aboard an airplane that was born right here in Washington,” said Port of Seattle Commission President John Creighton. “This is a big win for both business and leisure travelers to have a new option for their U.K. and European travel.”
Customers will be welcomed by the Virgin experience, which includes its Premium Economy product featuring a new Wander Wall for snacks and socializing, chauffer limo service, its iconic bar and fully flat-bed seats for Upper Class customers, and uniquely Virgin mood lighting. The introduction of the 787-9 Dreamliner on this route also means that there will be more seats for customers to enjoy Boeing’s latest innovations, including higher ceilings, larger windows, and improved cabin pressure so customers can feel less fatigued after a long flight. The World Travel Awards honored Virgin Atlantic as Europe’s leading airline to North America. The airline says the Pacific Northwest market is a prime one for their West Coast operations.
“We are looking forward to be broadening our presence on the West Coast of America by introducing the Virgin Atlantic experience to customers in Seattle,” said Erik Varwijk, Virgin Atlantic’s executive vice president of Commercial. “It is because of our joint venture with Delta that we have been able to optimize our routes and touch down in Seattle next summer using our newest, most fuel efficient Boeing 787-9 aircraft with additional capacity. In less than a year, customers flying between the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. and the U.K. can delight in all that Virgin Atlantic has to offer – from our Premium Economy cabin to our airport Clubhouses and uniquely British onboard service.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
