Dubai: Virgin Atlantic plans to add a second daily flight between Dubai and London's Heathrow — but the expanded service is on hold for two years until the airline gets more planes.
"The UAE market is very big for us and we've been here for the past five years," Virgin Atlantic's international general manager, Jon Harding, told Gulf News yesterday. "We want to add a second daily flight to London but that will have to wait until our new Airbus A330s and Boeing 787s come on stream."
With loads running close to 80 per cent capacity on its daily service, Virgin is pleased with the response, considering that it's up against stiff competition from both British Airways — and Emirates with its Airbus A380s on the route.
While the route is competitive, Virgin has a loyal passenger following attracted by its laid-back and relaxed attitude and its unique club house facility in Heathrow's Terminal 3.
Unique offering
"There are problems with Heathrow and it is the busiest airport in Europe," Harding said. "It's running at full capacity, but what Virgin offers is unique. In Terminal 3, we've essentially built a Virgin terminal within the terminal. Our promise is to get customers from limousine to lounge in eight minutes."
Virgin has created a dedicated security screening line for its business class flyers, easing the entire check-in process and reducing the stress of time spent at Heathrow. "When we say limousine to lounge in eight minutes, we can actually do it quicker," Harding noted.
That same stress-free philosophy is evident in the ‘club house' lounge, where passengers are known to check-in up to five hours before their flight to enjoy its relaxed facilities. And on its aircraft, flyers are encouraged to walk around and mingle, promoting a social element to what's normally a mundane and impersonal experience.
Boeing's delay in the Dreamliner has meant Virgin had to alter its plans, and the airline is scheduled to receive its first 787 in early 2014. The first 787s will likely go into service on Virgin's Heathrow to New York services.
Harding is a regular visitor to the UAE and was in Dubai for the biennial airshow. "This is a very important market for Virgin," he said. "I think customers appreciate our unique service and what we have to offer." The airline has announced plans to begin service from Heathrow to Vancouver beginning in May.
Founder's vision
Virgin Atlantic is also expanding with a three-times a week service to San Francisco. Currently, it serves North America through regular flights to New York, Boston, Washington, Miami, Chicago, Orlando, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Harding said that Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Atlantic, is committed to making flying better for customers and the environment.
