Virgin Atlantic is expanding its network, with Riyadh to join the network and Accra to return to the network
Welcome to Riyadh
For the first time, the airline will launch a daily service to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The service aims to participate in the growth expected from Saudi Vision 2030. In 2023, annual trade between the UK and Saudi Arabia was worth £17.1 billion with an ambition to reach £30 billion of trade by 2030. Accordingly, air travel between the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia is forecast to grow 24% between 2019-2035.
The airline is targeting business travellers and the ‘visiting friends and relatives’ (VFR) market, which has seen a fivefold increase in Saudis living in the UK between 2000 and 2018.
Flights to Riyadh will operate daily with an Airbus A330neo, with the first flight departing London Heathrow on 30 March 2025. The move follows Virgin Atlantic and Riyadh Air signing a Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding.
The planned operation is as follows:
VS242 DEPART LHR 14:45 ARRIVE RUH 23:35 VS243 DEPART RUH 01:25 ARRIVE LHR 07:00 Commences: 30 March 2025 Booked Equipment: Airbus A330-900neo Booking Opens on 12 September 2024
Return to Accra, Ghana
Virgin Atlantic will return to Ghana for the first time since 2013, with daily flights to Kotoka International Airport in the nation’s capital, Accra, from May 2025, providing competition on the route (with British Airways operating to London Heathrow, London Gatwick as the competitor)
The UK is home to the third largest Ghanaian diaspora in the world and the new service will respond to demand to visit friends and relatives. Around 10% of customers are also expected to connect through London onto Virgin Atlantic’s New York JFK service.
Launching on 1 May 2025, the daily service will operate on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft boasting the airline’s Upper Class, Premium and Economy Delight, Classic and Light cabins, as well as an onboard bar.
Accra is expected to be a very strong cargo route and Virgin Atlantic will offer 30 tonnes of capacity on each flight carrying goods, such as fresh produce, between Ghana and key markets in the UK and US.
The planned operation is as follows:
VS403 DEPART LHR 22:30 ARRIVE ACC 05:00+1 VS404 DEPART ACC 09:15 ARRIVE LHR 17:25 Commences: 30 March 2025 Booked Equipment: Boeing 787-9 Booking Opens on 12 September 2024
In Quotes
Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Atlantic, commented;
“Riyadh and Accra join Toronto as new routes for summer flying in 2025 and we see huge opportunities to connect friends, relatives and businesses with our new services. We’re also delighted to build on our codeshare with SkyTeam partner Saudia, further strengthening connectivity in the region, and beyond, and bringing new benefits to our loyal customers.
“We look forward to launching these new routes in 2025, introducing the iconic, inclusive Virgin Atlantic brand, award-winning experience and our amazing people to new customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ghana and Toronto.”
Going where there is business
Virgin Atlantic is keeping its fleet busy, as it retreats from Asia, but yet finding new partners and markets on the way. For the airline, these are commercial decisions – with a lot of data modelling to ensure these routes are viable.
It seems Accra passed this test, whilst Ryiadh has had more than a boost, thanks to the upcoming partnership with Ryiadh Air.
We’ll have to see if it passes the long-term viability test after these routes roll out.
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