VIRGIN Atlantic will no longer operate
seasonal flights between London and
Cape Town from winter 2015. The final
flights will operate from London on April
26 and from Cape Town on April 27.
The airline says the intended change
will enable it to better utilise its fleet on
routes that deliver maximum profit or
strategic importance.
Simon Newton-Smith, SA gm, says
the decision to drop Cape Town comes
off the back of a very detailed business
review during which Virgin examined
each of its routes, their current
performance as well as their projected
future performance. “We have to play
to our strengths,” he says, referring to
the London-Johannesburg service.
Despite the competitive environment,
Virgin’s numbers to Cape Town have
been consistently increasing but Simon
says not enough to compensate for the
cost of operations.
While not the determining factor,
the pending immigration regulations
also played a role in the decision.
“Our Cape-Town route is highly reliant
on inbound passengers, leaving
uncertainty as to how the route will
perform in the future,” says Simon.
Leaving Cape Town...
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