Virgin Atlantic will indefinitely suspend its Heathrow-Hong Kong route after 30 years of service to the destination.
The service was scheduled to resume in March next year after being paused since December 2021, reports Simple Flying. However, the airline has now confirmed that it will not resume flights to Hong Kong.
It has cited the closure of Russian airspace as part of the reason for the suspension.
Virgin Atlantic founder, Richard Branson, said: “Significant operational complexities due to the ongoing Russian airspace closure have contributed to the commercial decision not to resume flights in March 2023 as planned.”
The closure of Russian airspace will reportedly result in flight times increasing by at least an hour. This would require more fuel and is an expense that the airline is unable to justify. The reduced demand for the service prior to the COVID pandemic also impacted the airline’s decision.
About 46 jobs will be impacted by the suspension, including those of cabin crew and office staff, reports Skift.
The airline has advised that travellers who were scheduled to fly on the service will be offered a refund, voucher, or the option to rebook on an alternative Virgin Atlantic route.
