With China reopening, Virgin Atlantic is happy to return to Shanghai in May.
Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 landing at London Heathrow Airport – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
This will mark the return of Virgin Atlantic to China. It will be the first time since 23 December 2020 the destination has been served – having been closed for a total of 859 days at the point of its relaunch.
Shanghai is Virgin Atlantic’s final route to be re-instated following the global pandemic.
The route will relaunch on the 1st of May 2023, with the airline offering lead-in fares of £669 per person return on this route.
Virgin Atlantic’s Shanghai flights will operate on a Boeing 787-9. Customers can enjoy a selection of experiences across three cabins – Upper Class, Premium, alongside the airline’s three classes of Economy, Delight, Classic and Light.
Shanghai is also a hub for the airline’s new SkyTeam partner, China Eastern. Offering a wide range of connections throughout China and beyond, Virgin Atlantic customers will be able to connect to onward services. Flying Club members will soon have the opportunity to earn and redeem Virgin Points across China Eastern’s flying programme, alongside many other SkyTeam partners.
With Virgin Atlantic due to join SkyTeam shortly, it will provide some useful onward connectivity for passengers seeking to travel beyond Shanghai.
In Quotes
Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented;
“The return of our Shanghai services has been a long-time coming and I’m delighted it’s finally a reality. We’re looking forward to welcoming our customers back on board and providing vital links to one of the UK’s largest trading partners, for both passenger and cargo services.
“Shanghai is the final route to return following the global pandemic, restoring our flying programme to full capacity. Our focus for 2023 is on delivery, as we look forward to launching routes to new destinations, welcoming brand new clean, green aircraft and getting back to our best for our customers and people.”
Remember to check before you travel
Virgin Atlantic advises that Customers travelling to China do not need to show proof of vaccination, however, each passenger will need to show proof of a negative PCR test before they enter the country, alongside a health declaration form. Passengers arriving from China into the UK must take a negative PCR or lateral flow test. Customers should check https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china for the latest travel advice.
Increasing capacity across the network
Virgin Atlantic is filling in the gaps in its network, as it grows and strengthens its operations as we head into the summer season, with them serving s the USA & Caribbean, South Africa, India and Pakistan.
The airline’s Tel Aviv service is set to double capacity this summer, operating a double daily service, whilst new routes to the Maldives and Turks and Caicos will also commence later this year.
For the airline, it’s going to be an important factor as they ascend into SkyTeam and prepare for the season ahead.
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